CRIMEA
The Story of Crimea
and the Mennonites who lived there
by
Helmut T Huebert
Springfield Publishers
Winnipeg^ Canada
2013
Published by Springfield Publishers of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Library and Archives Canada Cataloging in Publication
Huebert, Helmut T., 1935-, author
Crimea : the story of Crimea and the Mennonites who lived there
/ by Helmut T. Huebert.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-920643-16-7 (pbk.)
1. Mennonites-Ukraine-Crimea-History. 2. Crimea (Ukraine)—
History. I. Title
BX8119.U45H83 2013 289.7'4771
C2013-903593-1
All cartography by Helmut T Huebert
CRIMEA
Copyright 2013 by Springfield Publishers, 6 Litz Place, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
R2G OVl, telephone (204) 334-4728, E-mail htdhuebert(^gmail.com
All rights reserved. With the exception of brief excerpts for review or very limited copying
of materials for strictly private use, no part of this book may be reproduced without
written pennission of the publisher
International Standard Book Number 0-920643-16-7
2
CRIMEA
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Cover . 1
Publishing etc . 2
Table of Contents . 3
Introduction . 5
Introduction . 6
Map: Mennonite Colonies in Ukraine and Russia . 7
Map: Mennonite Colonies in South Russia, Ukraine and Crimea . 8
Map: Crimea Geography . 9
Crimea Scenery . 10
History . II
Histoiy of Crimea . 12
Cities of Crimea . 14
Simferopol . 18
Sevastopol . 22
The Crimean War . 25
Mennonites and the Crimean War . 30
Florence Nightingale . 31
Balaclava . 33
Mennonite Settlements in Crimea - Villages and Estates . 35
Mennonite Villages in Crimea . 36
Map: Mennonite Villages in Crimea . 37
Introduction and list of 55 Villages . 38
Pictures Baragon and Topalovka . 48
Map of Karassan . 49
Map of Spat . 50
Pictures of Spat . 51, 52, 53
Mennonite Estates in Crimea . 54
Map: Mennonite Estates in Crimea . 55
Introduction and list of 38 Estates . 56
Map of Tamak Estate . 64
Map of Schroeder Estate . 65
Pictures of Estate owners . 66, 67
Retreat Centre . 68
Picture of Retreat Centre . 69
Churches in Crimea . 70
Schools in Crimea . 73
Schools in Crimea . 74
Pictures of Karassan and Spat Schools . 75
Pictures of Karassan Maedcheiischule . 76
3
Tschograw Bible School (1918-1924) . 77
Well-known Mennonite People who lived and worked in Crimea . 79
Duerksen, Gerhard David . 80, 90
Duerksen (Durksen), Martin . 80, 90
Dyck, Peter Isaak . 80
Friedrichsen, Peter . 81
Friesen, Peter Martin . 81, 90
Janzen, J D . 82, 90
Klassen, Abram Jakob . 82
Kroeker, Abraham Jakob . 83, 91
Kroeker, Jakob Jakob . 84, 91
Langemann, Johann . 84, 91
Martens, Heinrich . 84
Martins, Anna (Anya) . 84, 91
Rempel, Hemiann Aron . 85
Sawatzky, Peter Jakob . 85
Schroeder, Peter Heinrich . 86, 92
Schroeder, Peter Peter . 86, 92
Unruh, Abraham Heinrich . 86, 92
Unruh, Benjamin Heinrich . 87, 92
Unmh, Heinrich Benjamin . 87
Wiebe, Jakob A . 88
Wiebe, Johann Johann . 88
Wiens, Johann Gerhard . 89, 93
Pictures of well-known people . 90-93
Migration 1873-1880 . 94
Revolution, Civil War, Communist Takeover . 98
The “Crinrean Gypsies” . 101
Map: Crimean Gypsy Trail . 104
Mennonite Alternate Service in Crimea . 105
The Yalta Conference, February 4 - 1 1, 1945 . 1 1 1
Map; Post War Germany . 1 1 6
Map: Post War Berlin . 1 1 7
Berlin Escape, January 30 - February 1, 1947 . 1 1 8
Index . 127
Bibliography . 149
4
5
INTRODUCTION
Why write a book about Crimea?
For a number of reasons.
Mennonites lived in Crimea - in about 55 villages and 38 estates. Unlike most other Mennonite
regions, there was no specific colony, but there were certainly many interesting people
and a number of institutions in both the villages and the estates.
World history was made in Crimea.
The Crimean War of 1853-1856 did not directly involve Mennonites, but was of great
interest. The most famous person involved in the war was not a general, but a
nurse, Florence Nightingale, who was in the forefront of developing modem
nursing techniques.
The Yalta Conference of February 4-1 1, 1945, also did not directly involve Mennonites,
but the decisions reached by the leaders at the conference certainly effected the
lives of thousands of people, including many Mennonites.
Crimea represents a microcosm of Mennonite history. There were many Mennonite churches as
well as schools and other such institutions in Crimea.
The Bible School in Tschongraw was supported by a wide constituency, not only
Mennonite Brethren.
Typical Mennonite naiTow-mindedness was demonstrated in a number of instances. The
Krimmer Mennonite Brethren could not work together with the regular Mennonite
Brethren. Regular Mennonite Brethren baptized by immersing backwards. That
was not good enough for the Krimmer. They had to immerse forwards.
There appeared to be a considerable number of people who had the capacity to be leaders among
those living in Crimea. Examples that come to mind are David Gerhard Duerksen,
Peter Martin Friesen, Abraham Jakob Kroeker, Abraham Heinrich Unruh and Benjamin
Heinrich Unruh.
Martin Duerksen (Durksen) has compiled an extensive collection of information in his book
“D/e Krim war unsere Heimat.” I have used this book extensively in the preparation of
the present manuscript. “Die mennonitischen Siedhmgen der Krim ” by H Goerz, and its
English translation have also been very helpful.
None of my own relatives lived or worked in Crimea, but I still found it to be a very interesting
chapter of Mennonite history.
Originally many sources called it “The Crimea.” More recently it is simply labeled “Crimea.”
Helmut T Huebert
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
July 2013
6
7
Mennonite Colonies in Ukraine and Russia
[Not all of the smaller colonies shown]
BORISSOVp^ Konstantinovka
8
Mennonite Colonies in South Russia, Ukraine and Crimea
Crimean Scenery
Touring Crimea
jyt'i libN ^
H 4^1 tH
Picnic in Crimea
10
HISTORY
OF
CRIMEA
11
HISTORY OF CRIMEA
It should be noted that in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries this region was
called “The Crimea.” It is now more commonly known simply as “Crimea.”
Crimea is currently an autonomous republic governed by the Constitution of Crimea in
accordance with the laws of Ukraine. The capital and administrative centre is Simferopol, which
is also its largest city. The area of Crimea is 26,200 square km, and the population in 2007 was
estimated at 1,973,185. In 2001 58.32% of the population was Russian, 24.32% Ukrainian,
12.10% Crimean Tatars, the remaining 5% a mixture of German and other ethnic groups. By this
time (2013) there are no Mennonites left in Crimea.
Crimea is a peninsula protruding from the northern coast of the Black Sea. It is
connected to the continent of Europe by the 5-7 km wide Isthmus of Perekop. At its eastern tip
the Kerch Peninsula is directly opposite the Taman Peninsula of the Russian mainland.
The people of Ukraine, now and throughout its history, have been quite separate and
different from those of both Russia and Ukraine. The Mennonites who lived there, however,
were quite closely tied to those of southern Ukraine, particularly those of the Molotschna Colony.
Crimea has a long history of occupation by a wide variety of people.
- Inland regions inhabited by Scythians and Taures in BC period
- Greek settlers, before second century BC, a number of cities including Chersonesos founded
The extensive ruins of Chersonesos can still be seen near Sevastopol
- Bosporan Kingdom, second century BC
- Romans, first-third centuries AD
- Goths, 250 AD
- Huns, 376 AD
- Bulgars, fourth-eighth centuries AD
- PChazars, eighth century AD
- Kievan Rus, tenth-eleventh centuries AD
- Byzantine Empire, 1016 AD
- Kipchaks, 1050 AD
- Mongols, 1237 AD
- Venice, thirteenth century AD
- Genoa, seized the Venetian settlements and controlled them for two centuries,
thirteenth to fifteenth centuries AD
- After destruction of Golden Horde in 1441, Crimean Tatars founded the independent
Crimean Khanate
- Ottoman Empire, fifteenth-eighteenth centuries AD
- 1 774 Crimean Khans came under Russian influence
- 1783 entire Crimea annexed to Russian Empire, became part of Taurida Govemorate
- Crimean War October 1853 - February 1856; Britain, France, Ottoman Empire and Sardinia
against Russia. The main conflict was in Crimea, but there were also hostilities in
Western Anatolia, the Caucasus, Baltic Sea, White Sea and the Pacific Ocean. In Russia
12
it was known as the “Eastern War.” Russia was defeated. Black Sea was basically
demilitarized
- Mennonites started to move to Crimea about 1 862, many coming from the Molotschna
Colony. Eventually there were 55 villages and 38 estates, total Mennonite population
about 5,000 people
- 1869 Krimmer Mennoniten Bruedergemeinde founded by Jakob A Wiebe. Most
members migrated to the USA in the 1870s
- During the Russian Civil War Crimea changed hands a number of times. Intermittently it
was the stronghold of the anti-Bolshevik White Army
- According to the treaty ending World War I, Ukraine, including Crimea, was briefly
occupied by Germany. So it was that Crimea was occupied by German troops from
February to December 1918
- Last stand of the White Army of General Pyotr Wrangel against Nestor Makhno and the
Red Army was in 1920.
- Wrangel and many of his troops escaped to Turkey 14 November 1920
- Upon the defeat of the White Army about 50,000 prisoners of war and civilians were
executed by the Reds, by shooting or hanging. There were undoubtedly a considerable
number of Mennonites among the civilians executed
- 18 October 1921 the Crimean Autonomous Socialist Republic was created, which
became a part of the Soviet Union
- Two severe famines were experienced in southern Russia, including Crimea
The 1921-1922 famine produced by crop failure and drought
The 1932-1933 famine deliberately caused by the government of Joseph Stalin
-1918-1924 Tschongraw Bible School functioned, closed by government decree in 1924
Teachers were able to escape to Canada, and were instrumental in establishing the
Winkler Bible School
- 1941 many Mennonites, often as complete villages, were exiled to the Central Asian
republics. Tschongrav, notably, escaped, with many inhabitants eventually to Canada
- During World War II most of Crimea was occupied by the Germans, until 1944
- After being “freed” by the Russians, the entire Tatar population was exiled to cental Asia;
46% of the deportees died of hunger and disease
- By the end of 1944 the ethnic cleansing of all groups was complete
- Yalta Conference February 4-11, 1945. Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin attended
- In 1945 the Crimean ASSR was transformed into the Crimean Oblast (province) of Russia
- In 1954 Crimea was transferred to the Ukrainian SSR
- With collapse of the Soviet Union, Crimea became part of the newly independent Ukraine
- Now Crimea is Autonomous Republic of Crimea under its own and the Ukrainian
constitutions.
- In 1995 an agreement was reached in which four- fifths of the Russian Black Sea Fleet
would remain under Russian control, the remaining fifth was Ukrainian
- The lease regarding the use of the port of Sevastopol by the Russian navy has been extended
by the Ukrainian parliament until 2042.
13
CITIES OF CRIMEA
Simferopol and Sevastopol are the two major cities of Crimea. Their descriptions and histories,
including the involvement of the Mennonites, are listed in separate articles.
Total urban population in Crimea is about 1,027,000, which represents somewhat over half of the
total population of 1,973,185 (about 52%).
Other smaller cities of Crimea played a lesser role in Mennonite life.
YEVPATORIA
The first settlement in the area was by Greek colonists about 500 BC - it was then called
Kerkinitis. From the seventh to the tenth century AD it was a Khazar settlement. It was briefly
occupied by British, French and Turkish troops during the Crimean War; it was then the site of
the Battle of Eupatotia.
Yevpatoria is now a major Black Sea port, with a population of about 123,000. It is a
resort with spas and mud lakes and is famous for its beaches.
FEODOSIYA
Feodosiya was founded as Theodosia by Greek colonists from Miletos in the sixth
century BC. It came under the influence of Genoa for part of its history. During the middle ages
it was dominated by the Tatars, and was renamed Caffa
The Black Death was introduced to Europe through Feodosiya in 1387
Feodosiya was one of the cities visited by Johann Comics in the 1 820s in his travels
through Crimea to sell agricultural products from the Molotschna
Dr Peter Sawatzky moved to Feodosiya in the 1920s to allow his children to have a good
education - so there must have been good schools in the city.
Feodosiya is a port city on the southern coast of Crimea, and is also known as a resort. At
the present (2006) it has a population of 85,000, with principal industries being tourism,
agriculture and fisheries. The Mennonite village of Ogus-Tobe is near the city.
YALTA
Yalta is a resort city on the southern coast of Crimea, probably best known for the
conference which was held there by the Big Three on Febmary 4-11, 1945. Its climate is humid
subtropical. There are many vineyards and orchards in the area.
In the nineteenth century it became a fashionable resort, and was associated with royalty;
Nicholas II built the Livadia Palace there in 1911. Leo Tolstoy spent his summers there; Anton
Chekhov bought a house there in 1898. Even during Communist times it was used as a resort.
The longest trolleybus line in Europe mns from Simferopol to Yalta.
The 2001 population of Yalta was 80,500, of which 65.5% are Russians, 25.7 Ukrainians,
1.6% Belarussians and 1.3 % Crimean Tatars.
14
DZHANKOY
Dzhankoy is a transportation hub in north Crimea, with two major railway lines and two
highways passing through. There are also automobile, re-enforced cement and fabric factories.
There are professional technical schools in this city of about 36,000 (2012). It was likely
established about 1805, when the population was listed at 173.
BAKHCHISARAY
First mentioned in 1502, then mentioned as the new Khan’s residence in 1532. Since
then it has been the capital of the Crimean Khanate and the centre of the political life of the
Crimean Tatar people. It became an ordinary town when the region was conquered by the
Russian Empire in 1783.
Currently it is the site of the Khan’s Palace, as well as the Uspensky Cave Monastery.
The population is about 33,800.
15
Feodosiya Castle and city
16
North entrance, Bakhchisaray
17
SIMFEROPOL
Simferopol is a city located in south central Crimea, on the small Salgir River. It is at 350
metres above sea level, coordinates are 44°57N, 34°6E and its area is 107 square kilometres.
Temperatures in January and February can dip to just below 0“C, while July and August reach 36 or
37°C. As of 2006 the population was 340,000.
The present city has within its boundaries an important archeological site known as Scythian
Neapolis. It was a settlement that existed from the end of the third century BC until the second half
of the third century AD. It was the centre of the Crimean Scythian tribes, and ruled over a small
kingdom covering the lands between the lower Dniepr River and Crimea.
Neapolis was destroyed half way through the third century AD by the
Goths. At excavation a large public building with columns was found,
as well as a mausoleum and more than 70 burial sites of Scythian
noblemen. One of the skeletons was that of King Skylur; another burial
site was that of a Scythian queen.
The Tatar city of Ak Mechet (White Mosque) was established on
the site in the fifteenth century A D. The Russians renamed the city
Simferopol after the conquest of Crimea by Catherine II in 1784. It was
the administrative centre of the region, reflected in its name. Simferopol
means “city collector” in Greek. In 1802 the city became the
administrative centre of the Taurida Govemorate. In the 1820s and
1830s Simferopol was one of the markets used by traders from the
Molotschna, such as Johann Comies, to sell their agricultural products, hams, sausages, lard, butter
and eggs.
In 1850 there were 16 educational institutions in Simferopol, among them being the
Provincial Crown Gymnasium.
During the Crimean War Simferopol was not actually a battlefield, but Russian Army
reserves and a hospital were located in the city. More than 30,000 Russian soldiers were buried in
the vicinity of the city. Mennonite wagons and drivers often brought supplies to the area. The
Mennonites also accepted the care of 5,000 wounded soldiers, taking them back to facilities in the
Molotschna.
Travel to and from Crimea, such as connecting to the Molotschna, was by road, basically a
wide strip of land cleared to allow wagons and carriages to travel, but also wide enough to provide
grass for the horses. The Perekoper Way went south from Perekop at the north end of Crimea,
through Simferopol, and on to Sevastopol.
Starting in the mid 1800s Russia was starting to develop an extensive rail system. The
Kharkov-Sevastopol railway, which ran through Simferopol, was completed in 1 875. Two types of
locomotives were built specifically to serve on the Kursk-Kharkov-Sevastopol Railway. Spat, with
station Sarabus, was north of Simferopol on this line.
At the time of the flourishing of the Mennonites in south Russia, Simferopol seems to have
been commonly frequented for medical treatments. The people may well have gone to the Dr
Muehlenthal Hospital where various specialist surgeons operated. According to the frequency of its
advertising, the Wasserkur Abteilung of the private hospital of Dr S Levin was also popular. In the
18
life story of a number of people the only contact with
Simferopol mentioned was that they died there. It is
likely that they were in a city hospital for medical
treatment, and, not recovering, died there. Mennonites
also attended educational institutions in Simferopol,
particularly the university. The medical faculty at the
university was not established until 1918; even so, at
least nine Mennonites graduated as doctors from there.
In 1920 there were seven Mennonite medical students,
St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral m 1903 graduating as physicians in 1924, Nicolai
and Gerhard Neufeld from Ufa.. There is record of only one Mennonite business located in
Simferopol. Peter Reimer sold Keystone-Elgin watches and other jewelry, frequently advertising
in the Christlicher Familienkalendar early in the century, 1904-1905.
During World War I
there were some Mennonite
Sanitaeter opportunities in
Simferopol. A fair number of
Mennonite nurses served in
Simferopol hospitals.
In the twentieth century
Simferopol was again affected
by wars in the region. Crimea
was a White Army stronghold
during the Civil War, with
General Pyotr Wrangel having
his headquarters in Simferopol.
On 13 November 1920 the Red Army finally captured the city. On 18 October 1921 it became the
capital of the Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic.
Simferopol suffered the usual deprivations with the Communist take over. The St Alexander
Nevsky Cathedral was destroyed by the Soviet government in 1930. The GPU (State Security
Service) established a prison which was freely used to subdue and torture the surrounding
population. In 1930, for example, 24 Mennonite families from Spat were rounded up on 24 April
and taken to Simferopol, having been judged to be dangerous “kulaks.” Within two days eight long
trains left the city, taking their exiled passengers to the far Russian north. For some peculiar reason
four families were not banished. They were given citizenship documents and the right to collect
their belongings, if they could find them. The family of Abram J Klassen was one of the four
granted these privileges, although Abram himself had already been exiled, and died 5 July 1931.
Men from the Crimea were commonly imprisoned in Simferopol during the “Great Purge” of the late
1930s. Franz Teichrieb of Spat was in the GPU prison for a year before he was sent to the far
reaches of Siberia. Jakob Janzen of Tschongraw was more fortunate, being released after three
months of incarceration.
During World War II Simferopol was occupied by the German Army between 1 November
1941 and 13 April 1944. On one occasion, 13 December 1941, the Einsatzgmppe D under Otto
19
Ohlendorf killed at least 14,300 residents. In all over 22,000 people were killed, mostly Jews and
Russians.
On 26 April 1956 Simferopol and the rest of Crimea was transferred from Russia to the
Ukrainian SSR by Nikita Krushchev. After the collapse of the Soviet Union Simferopol became the
capital of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea within independent Ukraine. The majority of the
citizens of the city were ethnic Russians, but there were also significant Ukrainian and Tatar
minorities.
Simferopol has a large railway station, being on the Sevastopol-Kharkov line, and has an
international airport. Many tourists go through the city, largely on the way south to the nearby tourist
resorts. The longest trolleybus line in the world connects Simferopol to Yalta on Crimea’s Black
Sea coast. It is also in the heart of the tmck-farming and fruit-growing region. Industries include
food processing, wine making, fruit canning, and the manufacture of machinery, machine tools,
power station equipment and consumer goods. A recent survey comments that there is no high-rise
building in Simferopol.
The Central State Archive of Crimea is situated in Simferopol, and has many records relating
to Mennonite activities, since it was for many years the capital of the Taurida Govemorate.
Adolph Joffe, a Russian Communist revolutionary, later a Bolshevik politician and diplomat,
came from Simferopol. Yana Klochkova, a Ukrainian swimmer from the city, has won five
Olympic gold medals in her career.
The St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is now being reconstructed, to look exactly as it was
before 1930. It was originally built in the early nineteenth century, to honor a wish of Czarina
Catherine II. The first stone of the renewed foundation was laid in 2000. An old architect, Borys
Isaiev, remembered the cathedral from the time before it was destroyed. He commented, “The
church never failed to impress with its splendor... The sound of the cathedral’s great bell carried and
was heard in many villages in the Simferopol area. My soul rejoices in the expectation of the
moment when I will hear the bells of Crimea’s main sanctuary again.’’
20
University of Simferopol
Mennonite medical students in Simferopol in 1 920. 1 to r back row Hermann
Neufeld, Samara; Agatha Rempel, Gnadenfeld; Johann Strauss, Spat; front row
Nicholas J Neufeld, Ufa; Maria Rempel (sister of Agatha), Gnadenfeld; Anna
Martins, Eupatoria, Crimea; Gerhard Neufeld (brother of Nicholas), Ufa
Students at the Lehr er seminar in 1 924, back row, 4th from left
Sergy Scharkov; captain hat, Schaefer; middle row, white shirt, °
Johann (Hans) Duerksen
21
SEVASTOPOL
Sevastopol is near the site of the ancient Greek colony of Chersonesus, founded in 421 BC
as a democratic city state. It was the most important Greek colony in Crimea until Scythians overran
the region and forced it to become a protectorate of King Mithradates VI. This lasted from 179 to
63 BC. In the first century AD the region became part of the Roman Empire and in the fourth
century was renamed Korsun,
being part of the Byzantine
Empire.
In the Middle Ages
Korsun was a large trading and
political centre, playing an
important role in the economic
and cultural life of the region.
It was a Genoese trade colony
until it was destroyed in 1399
by a Tatar invasion.
The modem city of
Sevastopol was founded as a
city and port by Catherine II on
the site of the Tatar village of
Akhtiar after Crimea was
annexed by Russia in 1783. It was strongly fortified and in 1804 became the chief base of the
Russian Black Sea Fleet. Between 1797 and 1826 the settlement actually reverted back to its original
Tatar name of Akhtiar.
In the 1820s and 1830s young Mennonite entrepreneurs such as
Johann Comies loaded up produce from the Molotschna and headed south
to Crimea to sell their goods. Sevastopol was one of the cities on this
circuit. They would then buy manufactured goods in the cities and take
them back to the colonies.
In the Crimean War (1853-1856) Sevastopol was besieged by
British, French, Turkish and Sardinian troops. The Russian resistance held
out for 349 days, the hero of the land defense being General E I Totleben.
The Russian fleet was scuttled by the Russians themselves to block the
entrance to the harbour. One of the naval heros of the war was Admiral
Paul Nakhimov, commander of the Russian navy on the Black Sea. In
1 853 he had destroyed the Turkish squadron at Sinop. He was killed in the siege of the city in 1 855.
Leo Tolstoy recorded the heroic efforts of the defenders in “The Tales of Sevastopol.” He himself
fought in the ranks of the besieged. The French successfully stormed the fortress of Malakhov on
the south shore of the bay in September of 1 855, and three days later the Russians abandoned the
city.
After the cessation of hostilities the terms of peace were signed in Paris on 30 March 1 856.
Sevastopol declined in importance as a military base and its fortifications were dismantled. With
Sevastopol Crest
Chersonesus - mins of a church
22
repeated conflicts in the area, however, fortifications were rebuilt after 1871, and in 1890 Sevastopol
again became a chief naval base.
Starting in the mid 1800s Russia was starting to develop an extensive rail system. They
tended to emphasize the regions where commodities could then easily be transported to ports.
Sevastopol came into this category. The Kursk-Kharkov-Sevastopol Railway was completed by
1875. Two types of locomotives were developed specifically for this line.
In the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, most battles were won by the Japanese, with a
particularly significant defeat of the Russian Navy in the Battle of Tsushima Straits in 1 905. For no
logical reason at all, the Jews were blamed for these defeats, so as a result pogroms broke out in
many cities, with Jews being killed and their property destroyed. Such a pogrom was being incited
in Sevastopol on 21 October 1905. Peter M Friesen left his sick bed, went to the market place where
the mob was collecting and stepped onto a vehicle in the middle of the crowd. He pled for his fellow
citizens to show love as Christians. The crowd miraculously dispersed.
The Sevastopol sailors mutinied during the 1 905 uprisings. Sailors from the Black Sea Fleet
went ashore in 1918 and terrorized districts as far north as the Molotschna Mennonite Colony. In
1920 General Pyotr N Wrangel had his headquarters in the city in the last stand of the White Army
against the Communists. With the Red Army closing in, he left Sevastopol aboard the cruiser
General Kornilov on 14 November; in all, 146,000 people were evacuated to Constantinople.
There never was a great Mennonite presence in Sevastopol, although Peter M Friesen lived
there for 13 years (1898-191 1). In 1902, in addition to his own family, Friesen indicated that they
had 1 7 boarders in their house. Most of these were students in secondary schools, teacher training
schools and nursing schools. For a time, 1904 to 1910, there was an officially organized Mennonite
church in Sevastopol, the “Sevastopol Evangelical Mennonite Brotherhood.” The establishment of
this group was at the initiative of Friesen, and they also met in the Friesen home.
Friesen was also involved in political developments. He was one of the principal movers
behind the “Union of Freedom, Truth and Peace” Party which was organized shortly after the
October Manifesto of 1 905, and was sometimes referred to as the “Frizen Party.” The Kadet Party,
also interested in reform, had a Sevastopol central committee. By many, Sevastopol was considered
to be the centre of sectarian activity.
During World War II Sevastopol was again besieged, this time by invading land-based
German and Rumanian armies. It fell on 3 July 1942 after eight months of resistance, during which
time the city was virtually reduced to rubble. After it was recaptured by the Red Army on 9 May
1944, reconstruction began. Sevastopol was one of nine cities named “Hero City” of the Soviet
Union because of the staunch resistance it had displayed against the invaders.
In 1954 the whole Crimea, including Sevastopol, was transferred to the Ukrainian SSR, then
it became part of the independent Ukraine in 1 99 1 . In 1 995 an agreement was implemented in which
four-fifths of the Russian Black Sea Fleet would remain under Russian control, and in 1 997 a further
agreement allowed Russia to base its fleet at Sevastopol for the next 20 years.
Sevastopol is a port and a major naval base. The harbour has been given over to the navy,
which controls the Black Sea and the Bosporus, so commercial vessels no longer use the deep sea
natural harbour. Industries include ship building, lumber milling, food processing and manufacture
of bricks and furniture. It is also a popular tourist destination, especially for people from the CIS.
A panorama, created by Franz Roubaud, depicting scenes from the Crimean War, was restored after
23
World War II, and is a site frequently visited by tourists who are interested in history.
In 2004 the population of Sevastopol was 328,600, area was 864 square kilometres, and the
geographic coordinates 44“ 36 N and 33° 3 1 E. Elevation within the city is up to 1 00 metres. While
Crimea has mild temperatures, in winter there can be snow in Sevastopol.
View of Artillery Bay from Cape Khrustalny
St Vladimir Cathedral
Russian Navy Day July 2005
Naval installations, Southern Bay
24
THE CRIMEAN WAR
(1853- 1856)
The Crimean War was a conflict between the Russian Empire on the one side, and an alliance
of France, Britain, the Ottoman Empire and the Kingdom of Sardinia on the other. The hostilities
were actually part of a long-standing struggle to decide the supremacy in the Middle East and the
major influence over many of the territories of the declining Ottoman Empire.
The most dramatic part of the war occurred on the Crimean peninsula itself, but there was
also conflict in western Anatolia, the Caucasus, the Baltic Sea, the northern White Sea and even the
Pacific Ocean.
The actual underlying reasons for the conflict were vague at best. Russia wanted to continue
its influence in the Balkans and the Middle East. Britain wanted to bar Russia from the
Mediterranean Sea, having a pathological fear that this would jeopardize the status of British control
of the area and possibly interfere with the trade route to India.
The Russian fleet destroyed most of the Ottoman Black Sea Fleet in the Battle of Sinop on
30 November 1 853. This provided the excuse for Britain and France to declare war on Russia, on
the side of the Ottoman Empire, on 28 March 1854. In September of 1 854 the allied fleet started
transporting armies to Crimea. Since the Russian Black Sea fleet was based in Sevastopol, the allies
laid siege to this port. The Russians scuttled some of their vessels to function as block-ships, using
the guns and men to reinforce the batteries on shore in Sevastopol. The allied troops landed in
Eupatoria, north of Sevastopol; the Russians attacked their supply base at Balaclava on 25 October
1 854, but the attack was rebuffed. It is from this battle that “The Charge of the Light Brigade” was
made famous by a poem written by Alfred Lord Tennyson; the term “ The Thin Red Line “ also
stemmed from an action in this battle. Then on 5 November 1854 the Russians attempted to raise
the siege of Sevastopol by attacking, but the allies were again victorious at the Battle of Inkerman.
Florence Nightingale and her 38 student nurses arrived in the area in November of 1854.
They worked in a camp at Scutari, across the Black Sea from Crimea, near Constantinople, where
the British wounded were sent. With improvement in hygiene, better food, and generally better
living conditions, the death rate from wounds was greatly reduced among the British troops.
The allies surrounded Sevastopol and in October 1 854 began all out bombardment of the city
and its defences. In February of 1 855 the Russians were defeated when they attacked the allied base
at Eupatoria. Then followed a series of battles and bombardments around Malakoff Hill. On 5
September 1855 another bombardment was followed by an assault on 8 September. Sevastopol
finally fell to the allies on 9 September 1 855 after a year-long siege. Peace negotiations were begun
in early 1856, resulting in the Treaty of Paris, which was signed 30 March 1856 at the Congress of
Paris. It made the Black Sea a neutral territory, closing it to all warships, and prohibiting the
presence of armaments on its shores. This marked a considerable setback to Russian influence in
this region.
The Crimean War is well remembered for the tactical errors committed by both sides during
the land campaign. It was one of the first wars to be to be documented, both by written reports and
photographs. It was also the first “modem” war to use railways and electric telegraphs.
The number of troops, casualties and losses suffered are of some interest.
25
Russia:
Military strength: about 700,000
Losses: 220,000 dead
80,000 killed in action
40,000 died of wounds
100,000 died of other diseases
Allied Forces:
Military strength - total about 975,000
Ottoman Empire:
Military Strength - about 300,000
Losses estimated - 175,000 dead
France:
Military Strength - 400,000
Losses: 95,000 dead
10,240 killed in action
20,000 died of wounds
60,000 died of other diseases
Britain:
Military Strength - 250,000
Losses: total dead 21,097
2,755 killed in action
2,019 died of wounds (this number is low compared to the French
losses, probably because of good nursing care, as implemented
by Florence Nightingale)
16, 323 died of other diseases
Treaty of Paris (1856)
26
The Siege of Sevastopol
by Franz Rouboud (1904)
27
The Fall of Sevastopol
Capture of the Malakoff Tower
28
Russo-French Skirmish
29
MENNONITES and the CRIMEAN WAR
Hostilities of the Crimean War were from March 1854 to September 1855. Mennonites had
no direct involvement in the war itself; at the time there were no Mennonites living in Crimea. Any
contact they had was with the Russian forces, an army of 700,000 men and about 100,000 horses.
The army depended on mobilization of the local population, and requisitioned its wagons, drivers
and materials. Mennonites were ideally suited for the work; they were prosperous enough, they were
situated on easy trade routes, living in south Russia near Crimea, and they had finely built wagons
and well bred horses.
Many Mennonites made 7-8 major supply trips from the Molotschna to the front, often in
poor weather conditions. They carried mainly hay and oats for the horses, food for the soldiers, and
on occasion soldiers themselves, possibly also military supplies, even including ammunition. They
often carried wounded soldiers on the way back. At one time more than 5,000 soldiers stayed in
Molotschna homes and in temporary field hospitals run by the colony. In 1854 a total of 4,000
wagon loads were transported, increasing to 9,627 wagons in 1855. Most of the trips were to
Sevastopol, Simferopol, Duvanka and Yeshna, although there were also other destinations.
Some Mennonites had a feeling of nationalism and loyalty, but the majority simply wished
for peace, and contributed through a sense of duty and to alleviate suffering. The Molotschna
contributed a considerable amount of cash (silver rubles) for the war and the upkeep of the field
hospitals. Wagon drivers were usually old men or young boys. Some young men unfortunately
came back with bad habits, such as smoking, drinking and swearing. The drivers also learned more
about life, sometimes witnessing the horrors of war.
A few Mennonites used the war to make extra money, selling goods to the soldiers at a huge
profit, but most actually lost a fair bit through the war. In 1 854 a cholera epidemic struck the army;
unfortunately the disease was not confined to the military, also spreading to the colonies.
The long term results of the Crimean War did directly involve the Mennonites. In analyzing
the cause of the defeat, the Russian government concluded that many of the young men who would
have been the best soldiers had escaped the draft. This was either because they bought their way out,
or they had some special arrangement which excused them from service. The government was now
moving toward implementing an absolutely universal draft. This was viewed by the Mennonites
with considerable alarm.
Some Mennonites felt that a principle was a principle, and they would not waver from the
non-resistant stance. Many of these chose to leave Russia before the government programs were
implemented. About 8,000 migrated to Canada, where the non-resistant status was guaranteed.
Another 10,000 left for the United States. The peculiarity in this move was that the United States
guaranteed nothing. It seems that at least among some of the leaders, business opportunities were
more important than religious principles.
Other Mennonites felt that there was some room to negotiate with the Russian government.
Arrangements were made for alternate service to the country, largely in two fonns. Forestry Service
(Forsteidienst) was implemented, and would be put into practice during peace or war. Medical
Orderly Service {Sanitaetsdienst) was to be implemented in times of war. The Forestry Service was
begun in 1880, with eight camps being established in southern Russia.
30
FLORENCE NIGHTINGALE
(1820- 1910)
Even though she did not set foot on the Crimean peninsula, Florence Nightingale was
probably the most famous person to have been involved in the Crimean War. She is best
remembered for her work as nurse, contributing to the reform of medical conditions of the
military field hospitals during the Crimean War and afterwards.
Florence Nightingale was bom at the Villa Colombia, in Florence, Italy, on 12 May,
1820. Her parents, William Nightingale and Frances Smith were touring Europe at the time. Her
older sister had been bom in Naples the year before. Back in England the family lived in
Derbyshire and Hampshire. Her early education was in the hands of a governess, but later her
Cambridge trained father took over the responsibility. Florence became well acquainted with the
classics, Euclid, Aristotle, the Bible and political matters. She was probably the most interested
in mathematics. While her parents were Unitarians, Florence preferred the Church of England.
She developed an interest in social issues, but her family was firmly against the idea of her
gaining any hospital experience. Nursing was not considered to be a suitable occupation for a
well-educated woman.
On tour of Europe and Egypt in 1849 Florence studied different hospital systems, then in
1850 she began training as a nurse at the Institute of St Vincent de Paul in Alexandria. She also
visited hospitals in Germany and France. Upon return to London in 1853 she was appointed
superintendent at the “Establishment for Gentlewomen during Illness” at No. 1, Harley Street.
The Crimean War began in March of 1 854. A friend, Sidney Herbert, the British
Secretary for War, asked Florence to oversee the introduction of nurses to military hospitals.
This request likely came as a result of newspaper criticism of British medical facilities in the war.
Florence arrived at Scutari, and Asian suburb of Constantinople, where the British hospital was
located, with 38 nurses, on November 4, 1854.
Florence went about reforming the hospital system. Soldiers were lying on bare floors
surrounded by vermin. Unhygenic operations were taking place. These factors made it easy to
understand the high fatality rate among the wounded. Diseases such as cholera and typhus were
rife in the hospitals. Improvement in the sanitary conditions and better diets, clean water, as well
as fresh fruits and vegetables dramatically decreased the complications. Florence’s fetish for
demonstrating improvement mathematically and through diagrams undoubtedly helped the
authorities to understand some of these factors. Whatever the specific statistics, the fact is that
with the improvements implemented by Florence, the fatality rate of soldiers with wounds in the
British Army was half that of the French Army during the same period of time.
After the conclusion of the Crimean War, Florence continued her interest in the health of
soldiers, demonstrating the need for sanitary reform in all military hospitals. She even gained the
attention of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, as well as the prime minister in this regard. In
1860 the Nightingale Training School and Home for Nurses was established at St Thomas’s
Hospital in London, opening with 10 students. Florence also wrote a considerable number of
books and pamphlets, such as “Notes on Nursing” and “Notes on Hospitals.”
Unfortunately Florence spent much of the remainder of her life bedridden, from a disease
31
which she is said to have contracted in Crimea. On reviewing the actual medical evidence it is
highly likely that she need not have been in bed at all. She was probably suffering from
depression, which did not require bed rest.
Florence Nightingale died 13 August 1910 at the age of 90. She is buried at St
Margaret’s Church, East Wellow, near Embly Park. She never married, believing that God had
clearly marked her out to be a single woman.
The Crimean Monument, erected in Waterloo Place in London in 1915, was done in
honor of her contributions to the Crimean War and the health of the army. There is also a
memorial to Florence Nightingale in St Paul’s Cathedral.
Florence Nightingale
32
BALACLAVA
Near the beginning of the Crimean War, British, French and Turkish troops had easily
captured the town of Balaclava and established a base there. The Russians sent a large force
from Sevastopol, about 10 km to the north-west of Balaclava, to reconquer the town. This
resulted in the Battle of Balaclava, fought on October 25, 1854. The Russian attack failed, but
both sides suffered heavy losses
During this battle a small brigade of British cavalry made a gallant, but tragically useless
attack on a very strongly fortified Russian position. Actually less than a third of the 600 men of
the famous Light Brigade made it back to their own lines. It is thought that the stupidity and
personal rivalry of two high-ranking British officers were the chief cause of this tragedy. The
incident was made famous by poet laureate, Alfred Lord Tennyson.
This same battle also brought another British unit to fame. The 93'*^ Highlanders stood
solidly against repeated attacks by a larger Russian force. The stand led to the 93'‘* Highlanders
to be remembered in history as “the thin red line.”
The Charge of the Light Brigade
1
Half a league, half a league.
Half a league onward.
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
“Forward the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns!” he said.
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
2
“Forward, the Light Brigade!”
Was there a man dismayed?
Not though the soldier knew
Someone had blundered.
Theirs not to make reply.
Theirs not to reason why.
Theirs but to do and die.
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
3
Cannon to right of them.
Cannon to left of them.
Cannon in front of them
Volleyed and thundered;
Stormed at with shot and shell.
33
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of hell
Rode the six hundred
4
Flashed all their sabers bare.
Flashed as they turned in air
Sab ’ring the gunners there.
Charging an army, while
All the world wondered.
Plunged in the battery smoke
Right through the line they broke;
Cossack and Russian
Reeled from the saber stroke
Shattered and sundered.
Then they rode back, but not.
Not the six hundred.
5
Cannon to right of them.
Cannon to left of them.
Cannon behind them
Volleyed and thundered;
Stormed at with shot and shell.
While horse and hero fell.
They that had fought so well
Came through the Jaws of Death,
Back from the mouth of hell.
All that was left of them.
Left of six hundred.
6
When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wondered.
Honor the charge they made!
Honor the Light Brigade,
Noble six hundred!
Composed in 1854 by Alfred Lord Tennyson, poet laureate of England,
after reading an account of the battle in a newspaper
34
MENNONITE
lETTLEMENT!
IN
CRIMEA
35
VILLAGE!
IN
CRIMEA
37
MENNONITE VILLAGES
In 1926 there were said to be 70 Mermonite settlements in Crimea
Occupying about 55,000 dessiatines
Population 4,900 people
We have listed 55 villages altogether, but there were not actually that many Mennonite villages at
any one time; some were taken over by others, or even sold to other groups.
Muni, Sari-Bash and Baragon for example, were sold to German Lutherans.
Other villages were bought by Mennonites, for example Adshambet.
Many settlers were originally from the Molotschna, often the younger families, who otherwise
would have had to be labourers or settle for other jobs in their own villages
Some from Chortitza, possibly some South German Mennonites from the Palatinate
Settlements began in the early 1860s, 1862 and thereafter
Settlements were not in closed colonies; instead villages and estates were scattered in many
places
Spelling of the names is not consistent by different authors, so sometimes it is difficult to tell if
they were describing the same or different places
Design of the house architecture of most of the ordinary farms was similar to that in the
Molotschna
Building materials, however, were different
special stone derived from the sea bed was used for much of the construction,
including the fences
roofs were often French tiles or painted tin
One could tell the Mennonite villages from the others by the large number of trees
Mennonite settlements were on both rented and purchased land
Most villages and estates were near transportation routes
Areas where most of the villages were located:
North and Northwest (North)
Central and Southern (Central)
Eastern (East)
38
1 . Adshambet
Settled originally by Lutherans, bought out by Mennonites
Originally on rented land
When time came to renegotiate the lease it was considered a Mennonite village
School
Ministers Komelius Warkentin and Heinrich Wedel
2. Annovka (Annenfeld) (Central)
Originally on land rented from Estate Owner Lustig
Bought by Peter Janzen, and set up as a village
20 farms; good land; nice school
Steam mill built by P Janzen
Founded late 1 860s by members of the Kleine Gemeinde, from whom the Krimmer
Mennonite Brethren Church emerged
Founder of the KMB Jakob A Wiebe
Together with the congregation, except for 3 families, he emigrated to the USA
(Kansas) in the 1870s
3. Aratschick
South of Borongar, over the tracks
Nice orchard along the Salgir River
School
Minister Peter Ediger
4. Baragon (Central) a prosperous village, possibly on estate of Philipp Wiebe
10 km east of Karassan
Sold to Gemian Lutherans at the turn of the century ( 1 900)
5. Baschlitscha (Buslitscha)
Village on the estate of Peter Heinrich Schroeder
6. Beckbuslatshi (Bek Bulatschi)
Early 1890s; rented village on the estate of Peter Heinrich Schroeder
7. Borongar
Opposite station Taschlickdais
Some stony land
School; good teachers
8. Bruderfeld
Early 1860s about 5 families from Hierschau, Molotschna moved there
In the mid 1870s they emigrated to the US, establishing the Bruderfeld Church
in Nortli/South Dakota
9. Bumak (North) tenant village, rented from estate owner
Exact location not known
Infertile rocky land, therefore poor
10. Bumash (North) tenant village, rented from estate owner
Exact location not known
Infertile rocky land, therefore poor
1 1 . Busav (Busau?)
39
10 km from postal station Aibar
2 km east of Busav-Aktachi
A centre of the Mennonite Church, people who had come from the Molotschna
12. Busav-Aktachi (Ettingerbrunn) (North) smaller village closer to city of Yevpatoria (North)
Owned by the people who lived there
Busav-Aktachi Mennonite Church fomied when the Karassan church split
Included more than 7 villages in the region
First elder Friedrich Raabe, deposed 1889
Eventually new elder, H Martens, elected in 1901, died 1905
Minister P Friedrichsen elected elder 1906, continuing on for 20 years
Never had a building, but met in the various villages
13. Busav-Montenai (Montonaj) (North)
Smaller village closer to the city of Yevpatoria (North)
Soon after Sari-bash was sold, one farmer from the village bought a larger piece of land
for his children about 30 km away; others followed, soon forming the village
of Montenai or Busav-Montenai
Owned by the people that lived there
14. Buslitscha
Early 1890s; rented village on the estate of Peter Schroeder
15. Danilovka (Central) rented village on estate of Anton D Lustig
2 km from Kurman-Kemeltschi station
Rented villages usually looked poor
Rent usually reckoned 1/3 or 3/10 of the yearly harvest
The Jakob Regier family, wife Maria (nee Wall) with 4 children escaped from Crimea
to Paraguay in 1930, Jakob originally migrated to Crimea, Maria was bom in
Sarabaschk in 1878
16. Diumien (Djumieng) (Schottenruh) (North), 25 km from Chongar Bridge
Name changed from German during WWI
In the 1 860s a Mennonite, Abraham de Jager bought the first piece of land from a Scot
Soon others came from the Molotschna, Muensterberg and Altona
Houses in single file for over 1 km
Farms 100 dess, 60 fathoms wide
Forest planted across from the famis
Large school in the middle of the village
2 good teachers in succession, Johannes Voth and Heinrich Ediger, both from Gnadenfeld
Rocky saline soil, some crop failures
Good water supply, artesian wells
Suffered more than other villages during the Revolution and Civil War, since it was near
the main highway and the strait
Completely pillaged by the back and forth movement of the amiies
Many inhabitants victims of famine and disease
17. Dschyaga Baschi
Rented village on the estate of Peter Heinrich Schroeder
40
18. Dschav-Boryu (Dzchaga-Shekh-EIi) (Central) close to Karassan
Founded 1888 by 4 families
Before WWI three of the families bought out the share of their co-founder
Philipp Jakob Wiebe
Wiebe and his sons were murdered on the estate/village about 1918
19. Ebenfeld (Kurt-Itchiki) (North) short distance east of Diurmen
1 8 km from Station Dshangoj
Founded in the 1870s by Johann and Bernhard Wall
They bought 630 dess, and rented some additional land
Salt peter soil and level landscape prevented water from draining in the rainy season
Village was poor
Had a school
In 1 922 a revival
In 1929, 13 families (63 individuals) were able to emigrate via Moscow, the other
20 families (92 individuals) were sent back
Among those who migrated to Paraguay was the Johann Wall family, wife Sara
(nee Harder) and four children
20. Falantush (North) short distance east of Diunnen
Founded in the early 1870s, land purchased for 4 R per dess
Village was poor
21.. Femheim
Exact location not known
Probably eastern Crimea
XX Franzfeld
Presumably settlers from Franzfeld, Molotschna
23. Jalatusch
7 famis, 30 km from Amijanski, cost 4R per dess
Soil somewhat saltpeterish, very flat, difficult to drain
Had a school
24. Kaban (North) smaller village closer to the city of Yevpatoria (North)
In the region of Busav
Owned by the people that lived there
25. Kadagai (Central) single row of fannyards
Cost 4R per dess
12 km from Station Kurman-Kemeltski, made shipping grain easy
Good land and water
Good school, forest side near the south end of the village
Went to church and Zentralschule in Karassan
In 1900 there were 15 farms, with land from 50-100 dess
Steam mill built in the 1909 by Gerhard J Wall
Some people were able to escape via Moscow to Canada in 1929/1930
26. Kara (Klein-Tschakmak)
Adjacent to Hochfeld
41
Originally rented land; when lease expired the settlers bought the land
School
Ministers Jakob Harder and Johann Voth
27. Karakuch (North) tenant village, rented from estate owner
Exact location not known
Infertile rocky land, therefore poor
28. Karassan (Central) second largest Mennonite village in Crimea
Founded 1865, in time one of the richest villages
15 km from Kurman-Kemeltschi railway station
Difficult beginnings; made trips to Molotschna to get bread
Land extended to the Salgir River; said to be very good quality
When established the land quota was 64 dess
Further land purchases enlarged some of the farms to between 200 to 800 dess
Some farms had land holdings outside the village
Raised cattle and strong horses
Houses large and beautiful, construction of limestone
Roofs French tiles, some green painted tin
Floor plans the same as Molotschna
Consisted of very long single row of houses
Each had orchard and vegetable garden, earlier also large vineyards
Shade trees around houses and on street, acacia trees
2 large community wells; large pumps purchased in England gave running water
Karassan Mennonite Church, in charge of whole Crimea prior to division in 1880s
In 1905 it had 846 members (later increasing considerably)
Affiliates were Spat after 1882, Diurmen after 1884, Pasha-Chokmak after 1890
2-room elementary school
Zentralschule (the first in Crimea); two large teacherages with vegetable gardens;
founded in 1905; continued to operate with good results until the mid 1920s;
for boys only
Maedchenschule with plans to build new one
Large general store, lumber and iron business, bookstore, all founded and owned by
J Janzen
Large steam mill owned by Tjart and Fast before WWI
Brick factory, also produce French roof tiles - Gerhard Wall
Also some Anwohner, not enough to complete a street, many were craftsmen
29. Kasantschi
Close to and west of Kitai
Possibly actually an estate
Originally rented by Jakob Konrad, then in 1908 bought by Hermann Neufeld
of Halbstadt
30. Kiptschak
Established by Johann Janzen 1913
Janzen bought 2,500 dess near Station Biejuk-Onlar, also near Tschongraw
42
Consisted of 8 yards, 4 on each side of the street
School in the middle; teacher Peter Schellenberg from Memrik
Sunday services in the school
Houses built of the sea-shell material available in the area
Others living in the village Abram Janzen, Sara Janzen, Jakob Wiens
3 1 . Kutschuk (Kultschuk) near Menlerchik
Mennonites moved, settling in other villages
By WWI no longer a Mennonite village
32. Kutievka (North) short distance east of Diurmen
Founded in the early 1870s, land purchased for 4 R per dess
Village was poor
33. Kutjuki
10 km south of Jalatusch
1 row of houses, had a school
FamilyHeinrich Vogt, wife Elisabeth (nee Enns) and seven children, all bom in
Kutjuki, were able to escape to Paraguay in 1930
Heinrich originally moved to Crimea in 1908, Wife Elisabeth was bom in Kutjuki
in 1886
34. Lustigstal (Central) rented village on estate of Anton D Lustig
Near Tashlider Station
Rented villages usually looked poor
Rent usually reckoned 1/3 or 3/10 of the yearly harvest
Komelius Willms family, wife Eva (nee Wohlgemuth). Komelius attempted to
escape in 1929, but was arrested and sent into exile. Wife Eva and two
sons were able to escape to Paraguay in 1931
35. Menlerchik (Central)
Part of the Spat real-estate deal
7 km from Spat; 9 families settled here
Land extended across the Perekop-Simferopol highway and was good quality
Houses on both sides of the wide street
Buildings and fences constmcted of limestone
School in the centre of the village; had a number of good teachers
Good source of water from a community well, stored in high water tower
Necessary business carried out in Spat
Family Johann Duerksen, wife Kaethe (nee Heinrichs) and four children, able to
escape from Crimea to Paraguay in 1930. They had migrated to Crimea in 1919
Family Jakob Komelsen to Moscow in 1929. Jakob, wife and some of his children exiled
to the north, where he died in hospital. Oldest daughter Anna married a Jakob
Duerksen and died in Paraguay
36. Morre (More)
Early 1890s; rented village on the land of Peter Heinrich Schroeder
Johann Dueck family, wife Katharina (nee Driediger) and ten children, escaped to
Paraguay in 1930. Johann had come to Crimea in 1880
43
37. Muni (Mumij) (Wiebental) (North) close to, west of Tokultschak
1 row of farms
Cost 4R per dess
Half of the land quite stony
Entire village sold to German Lutherans
38. Novonikolsk
Rented village on the estate of Peter Heinrich Schroeder
39. Ogus-Tobe (East)
Founded 1884-1885, soon expanded by purchase of additional land
Land holding of individual farms from 200-800 dess
Very good black soil, but little rain
Summer-fallowing used; crops winter wheat and barley
Wealthy land owning village
Wide straight street over 1 km long
Large modem houses, built of stone from village owned quarry
Each farm had orchard and vineyard
Large school and teacherage in centre of village
Early years affdiated with Gnadenfeld, then later with Karassan
Did not have good water, wells had salty water; large cemented cisterns used
XX. Pasha-Chokmak (Hochfeld) (Gross-Taschakmak)
Abram Braun bought the land, and together with sons-in-law and sons established
a 7 farm village
Braun built and operated a steam mill
Good school with good teacher
40. Sabantschi about 10 km from Menlerchik
41. Sari-Bash (Sary-Bash) (Ettingerbrunn)(North)
Named after a government official
Large village, houses on both sides of the street
A large school
Water problem; 80 m deep well did not provide enough water; supplementary well
3 km away
Ettingerbrunn Conference named after the village when the Crimean Mennonite Church
split; the other was the Karassan Conference
Whole village sold to the Lutherans in the 1890s, likely because of the water problem
42. Sari-Pasha-Chokmak (Hochfeld) (Central)
Well-to-do farmers regarded as master famiers
A Braun built a steam mill
43. Sarona (Ssarona) (Saroni) (East) estate/village
1890 the widow of Abraham Matthies bought a large estate south of Dzhankoy-Kerch
Railway
Divided equally with 3 daughters and 2 sons
Good soil, diligent people, co-operation
Bred excellent pedigreed cattle, often imported from abroad
44
Affiliated with the Gnadenfeld congregation
1930 all Sarona residents exiled to Archangel in northern Russia, Caucasus, Kazakhstan
Estate/village changed into a collective farm
44. Schoenthal (Ischung-Nemetzky) (Central)
1 5 km from Kurman-Kemeltschi Station
Headquarters of the Mennonite Brethren Church of Crimea
Elder David Duerksen lived and worked here
Large house of worship erected in 1 905
Family Gerhard Wohlgemuth, wife Lena (nee Penner) and one son able to escape
from Crimea to Paraguay in 1930
45. Schonuk (Schnuk) near Menlerchik
Mennonites moved, settling in other villages
By WWl no longer a Mennonite village
46. Sergejewka 10 km from Menlerchik
47. Schirin (East) the railway branch line from Dzhankoy
On the shore of the Sea of Azov
Said to be a lovely village
48. Spat (Central) largest Mennonite village
1881 a group of Molotschna Mennonites bought 5,000 dess from an estate owners wife,
Anna Semionova
Near Sarabus Station on the newly built Southern Railway
Cost 40R per dess; good water
2 villages founded. Spat and Menlerchik
31 fanns formed Spat, settlers from 17 villages mainly Halbstadt area
Leaders Johann Langemann and Komelius Wall
Some difficulty paying off the debt, finally settled by 1912
Most houses large and solid, mostly limestone, Molotschna pattern
Good shrubs and orchards, large shade trees, rich agricultural village
2 elementary schools; in 1883 a school and teacherage built, larger school with 2
classrooms in 1884
Also a school for the poor (Armenschule)
With workers’ families needed additional school
Zentralschule founded in 1906; widespread cooperation to build;
accepted girls, a first for Mennonite secondary schools
Good school with excellent teachers
Largest Mennonite industrial and business centre in Crimea, with Sarabus Station
and Simferopol near by
Large agricultural machinery factory of Johann Langemann; 2 large steam mills owned by
Langemann and Unrau; binder twine factory; Dutch windmill built by F Wiens;
store and iron and lumber business
Affiliate of the Rueckenau MB Church met in Spat
1897 Elder David Duerksen came from Molotschna, congregation built in Schoenthal
Mill owner Peter Unrau
45
Salgir River banks often picnic site, in spring a waterfall
49. Sultan Bazar
Rented village on the estate of Peter Heinrich Schroeder
50. Temir-Bulat (Philipptal) (North)
Named after Philpp Wiebe, son-in-law of Johann Comies
Land bought for 3 R per dess; remained poor because it was stony and infertile
Became the centre of the Brothrechergemeinde of Hennann Peters
Separated from the MB church, feeling it necessary to break the bread the way Jesus
did, not cut the bread
At the turn of the century (1900) the entire congregation moved to Siberia under the
leadership of Hennann Peters, some went to the US in the 1890s
The village was home of the elder Heinrich B Unruh, father of Benjamin and Abraham,
Elder of the Karassan Mennonite Church. He died in 1883
51. Toksaba northwest of Menlerchik, about 10 km
52. Tokultschak (Johannesfeld) (Johannesruh?) (North)
Named after Johann Comies
12 famis, paid 7R per dess; each 30 by 80 fathoms; land fertile
8 yards on one side, 4 on the other
Also houses for village smith, windmill owner and shepherd
Well 48 m deep, good water for man and animals
Had a school; good teachers
A number of Thiessen families to US in the 1870s
First years difficult, especially 1887
1890s a new school; Heinrich S Ediger teacher also choir director
53. Topalovka (Central) 10 km west of Spat in Yevpatoria district
Turn of century well-to-do Philipp Warkentin from Karassan with sons and sons-in-law
bought 902 dess from estate owner Topalov
1 1 famiyards of 82 dess each were established
Father moved into the estate house while children built their farmyards
Soil was good, and the village did well
54. Tschongraw (Chongrav) (Tchongrav) (Central)
Founded 1890s by Mennonites from Blumenfeld
Bible School begun 1918 by Johann G Wiens at request of MB Missions Committee
Heinrich Braun second teacher; Abraham Unruh Joined in 1920
Curriculum many faceted; Three year program; men and women accepted
All teachers and students arrested but released in 1920
Local authorities closed the school March 1924; had 50 students when it closed
Family Gerhard Isaak, wife Aganetha Huebert, with two daughters, escaped from
Crimea to Paraguay in 1930. Husband of daughter, Hans Wiens, actually
died on the way, in Moscow.
Entire village ordered evacuated, leaving by a wagon train, on 16 August 1941
To Bijuk Station, then train to Zaporozhye, then on foot to the Molotschna
Eventually many on the Great Trek, some arriving in Canada after WWII
46
55. Tukulchak (Johannesruh) (North)
1km from the highway
Land bought in the 1 860s for 7 R per dess
12 farmyards, 30 by 80 fathoms, 100 dess, on both sides of the street
Had gardens and especially fine trees
Large village well, 48 m deep, provided good water for man and animals
At first school in a private home, built a small school, then had a fine roomy building
Teachers Peter Unruh, Komelius Warkentin, H S Ediger
Large stone quarry nearby
Family Heinrich Esau, wife Elisabeth (nee Janzen) and three children able to escape from
Crimea to Paraguay in 1930
Sources:
Durksen, Martin. Die Krim war unsere Heimat, self published, Winnipeg, Canada, 1977,
many pages
Goerz, H, Mennonite Settlements in Crimea, Echo Historical Series (translated into English)
CMBC Publications, Winnipeg, Canada, 1992, many pages
Huebert, H T, Hierschau: An Example of Russian Mennonite Life, Springfield Publishers.
Winnipeg, MB, 1986 pp 324-325
Huebert, H T, Mennonite Estates in Imperial Russia, Springfield Publishers, Winnipeg, MB,
2008, many pages
47
A communal butchering day at Topalovka
The Mennonite village of Spat
Zentralschule in Spat
51
The Mennonite village of Spat
Train on bridge over the Salgir River near Spat
Station Sarabus near Spat
Salgir River flooding in Spat
52
The Mennonite village of Spat
[Mg.*?;
The yard and harvest operation of Abram Boschmann
The black-smith shop of Abram Boschmann
The mill of Peter D Unrau in Spat
53
MENNONITE
ESTATES
IN
CRIMEA
54
Perekofj;;:
55
MENNONITE ESTATES
We have listed 38 estates owned by Mennonites. They varied in size, Andreyevka, for example
being only 510 dess; the estate of Peter H Schroeder on the other hand was more than
10,000 dess.
Not all of the estates existed at the same time. For example, a number ceased to exist when they
were divided into component parts, each component part then was classified as an estate
on its own.
Generally, Mennonites started owning estates in Crimea in the early or mid 1 860s, and had as a
whole abandoned them by the mid 1920s.
Sometimes it was difficult to define what the property was - a small village or a large multi¬
owner estate? Examples would be Itschky (Ebenfeld), Sarona and Topalovka which we
have classified as villages.
Some of the estates had villages on their territory, for example Baschlitscha and More on the
estate of Peter Schroeder.
With the onset of the Russian Revolution and the Civil War, it became increasingly more
dangerous to own estates, particularly to live on them. A number of estate owners
were murdered on their estates.
It is difficult to be sure of the exact location of a fair number of the estates. Similar to the
villages, they tended to be near roads or railways. Some, by the nature of their
principal “product” needed to be able to transport this product to the market.
1. Akula (Akulla)
Owned by Philipp Jakob Wiebe
Philipp Wiebe and his son were murdered on either Akula or Dzhangrav in 1920
2. Alatsch (Alach)
Owned by Johann Peter Comies, son of Peter Heinrich Comies, who was nephew of
Johann Comies
NE Crimea, near Schirin
Originally rented 300 dess, inherited another 500 dess, eventually totaled 4,000 dess
Estate buildings in large quadrangle; had manor house, houses for workers, machine
shed, horse bam, blacksmith shop
Artesian well
Many animals: cows, chickens, pigs, sheep, horses, oxen
School started on estate 1913
Spring 1923 family left estate and moved to Ohrloff, Molotschna
Apparently all buildings demolished in the early 1940s, land became part of a large
cooperative farm
3. Alatsch (Alach)
Owned by Peter Heinrich Comies, son of Johann Peter Comies
NE Crimea, near Schirin
56
Peter had wife Maria Martens and 6 children
1 ,200 dess, then probably up to 4,000 dess
Livestock: sheep, cows, oxen, horses, pigs, chickens, ducks
Crops: wheat, oats, barley, hay
Large ornamental garden, homes for farm help, granary, blacksmith shop, bams,
machine shed, artesian well, hot water pipes
Had artesian well and aqueduct
Treated workers well
Johann Fast was the manager in 1903
Had to leave 1923. 1944 Tatars were expelled and all buildings leveled
4. Alibai (Ali-Bai)
3-4 V east of village of Ogus-Tobe
Estate had 2 owners, 1 Mennonite, 1 Lutheran
Probably established 1882 or 1883
5. Andreyevka
Owned by Peter A Fast, who bought it in 1900; he previously lived in Femheim
Northern Crimea, near railway, 25 v from Perekop, 3 v from telegraph line
30 V north of Tokultschak, Voinski Volost
Bought 510 dess for 130R per dess; nice buildings worth 8,OOOR
6. Baesler
Owned by brothers Baesler
Conflict involving workers in 1906, one worker killed, 6 injured
Estate owner Heinrich Baesler shot (probably killed) late 1 91 7 or early 1918
7. Bay-on-lar
Owned by Komelius Epp
Manor house built 1912
At least 5 children, 4 of them being Nicholas, Komelius, Johann, Dimitri
Driven off their land spring of 1922, a Tatar village taking over the area
8. Bescharan
Estate with upper, mid and lower sections
25 km south of Karassan, 10 km SE of Tschongraw
In 1909 Jakob Janzen and Johann Toews bought the mid portion, 960 dess
1910 Peter Dick and 3 renters also joined
1915, when German landowners were to be dispossessed, Peter Dick and the renters left
Abram Neufeld family moved in
Occupied during the Civil War by a number of families and men
9. Burulcha (Bumltscha)
20 V E of Simferopol, on Bumlcha River
Total size 4,000 dess
Owned by David Jakob Dick of Apanlee
Part of it was an orchard of 60 dess, in good years giving income of 60,000R
Enough employees to require a teacher for their children
10. Bumntcha
57
Probably owned by Johann J Comics
A distance from Mennonite centres
12,000 dess
1 1 . Dschav-Boryu
5 V NW of Karassan
Owned by Jakob Gerhard Martens and wife Albertine Schroeder, on estate
of Peter Heinrich Schroeder
1,531 dess inherited from Albertin’s father, Peter Heinrich Schroeder, when he died
in 1896
Built estate house, granaries, bams, carriage house, gardens, planted forest
Developed “Martens Golden Wheat”
Driven from estate in the early 1 920s
12. Dzhangrav
Owned by Philipp Jakob Wiebe
13. Hoffnungsberg
Probably established 1 860
Owners and exact location not known
14. Igrilik
3v NW of Karassan
Owned by Johaim Schroeder; wife Margaretha Janzen
Inherited 2 pieces of land, 1,013 dess and 151 dess (total 1,1 64) from father Peter
Heinrich Schroeder, who died in 1896
New building designed and erected for family, with all newest conveniences
Johann died November 1913, infected appendix ruptured before doctor was able
to operate
15. Isaak
Southern coast of Crimea, NE of Yalta
Owned by Peter Isaak
Sold some of his land to the Molotschna Teachers Association for 1,500R, probably
in 1913
Land just above the “professor’s nook” south coast of Crimea at Alushta, foot of
Kastell Mountain
Teachers built a retreat centre on the property
16. Janzen, Jakob
Owned by Jakob Janzen
Specific location not known
Wife was Helena Martens, daughter of Wilhelm Johann Martens
Land probably inherited from or given to Janzen by his father-in-law Martens
17. Janzen, Peter
Central Crimea, near Dzhankoy
Owned by Peter P Janzen
Annovka (Annenfeld) founded by Kleine Gemeinde members in the late 1 860s
Then established the Krimmer Mennonite Brethren Church in 1869
58
Entire congregation emigrated to North America in the mid- 1870s
Peter Janzen bought the land and rented it to poorer members of the MB church
at low rates
Soil good; settlement flourished
Janzen in time sold his holdings, moved south to Estate Kitai
Presumably the estate disappeared at that time
18. Keneges
NE Crimea, 20 v from Dzhankoy, a few v west of village Schirin
1,562 dess
Owned by Dietrich Dietrich Esau, wife Agnes Martens
Probably land inherited from Johann Wilhelm Martens
Large herds purebred cattle; cereal grains grown on massive scale
19. Kitai (Kitay)
Central Crimea, a few v from main NS railway, a few v north of Spat
Owned by Peter P Janzen, who moved there, having sold his estate further north
in the Crimea
960 dess
Yard in 2 sections; Gasthof, estate house and yard; Arbeitshof work area and farm yard
Some of the land rented out to Russian tenants, who lived in a village east of Gasthof
Robbed 15 July 1918, son Dietrich shot; father Peter wounded; 19,000R taken
20. Klassen, Abraham
At Dzhav-Boryu, 1 0 v from Station Kurman-Kemeltshi
Owned or rented by Abraham Klassen
240 dess
70 dess seeded with wheat
Advertized for sale, available September 1910
2 1 . Makut (Makum)
NE Crimea, near railway, SW of village Schirin
Owned by Jakob Toews, long manager of the Tamak Estate
Purchased about 1917
Large; herds of purebred cattle, cereal grains grown on massive scale
22. Marianovka (Dick)
Eastern Crimea, N of railway, near Sea of Azov
E of Dzhankoy, NW of Feodosiya
Originally part of the Tamak (Schmidt) Estate
Owned by Peter Jakob Dick, brother of David Jakob Dick of Apanlee, originally bought by
Mrs Peter Schmidt II in 1875
1894 divided into 3 sections, 1 portion for each of her 3 daughters or their husbands
This part owned by Peter and Anna Dick
Size at one point 726 dess, although likely often much larger
Orchards, fruit growing business
In autumn Tatars hired to pick, sort, pack the fruit, and ship to nearest railway station
Attempted robbery 1906, 2 watchmen killed
59
Peter died 18 April 1920, estate abandoned 1921
Thereafter part of collective fann; many of the buildings still stand (2004)
23. Montana!
30 km N of Eupatoria, 70 km NW of Simferopol
Established 1885 by 5 brothers, Heinrich, Wilhelm, Peter, Jakob, Johann Martins
who came from Sarabasch, Crimea
Initially purchased 2,740 dess from government for about 19,000R
First 7 years lived together until paid for, then moved onto separate famiyards
Good land, good crops of grain and fruit
Had school, flour mill, deep well
Members of Busav (Ettingerbrunn) Mennonite church
1910 purchased additional 1,200 dess
Anna, daughter of Wilhelm, graduated from medicine in Simferopol 1923 or 1924,
to Canada in 1926
1921 taken over by Bolsheviks
Some original buildings still exist, part of the village Novoselivs’ke
2007 Willie Martins, great-grandson of Heinrich Martins, has a fami in the region
24. Neu Telentschi (Tellentschi)
South of Karassan, just S of Telentschi Estate
Estate consisted of 3 farms
Jakob Dyck, wife Sara (nee Reimer) 7 sons, 6 daughters
Johann, doctor serving in White Anny, died of typhoid
Jakob, tent evangelist
Katharina, married Alexander Ediger
621 dess
Offered for sale November 1910
Jakob Reimer, 5 children
Jakob Goossen, wife Anna (nee Reimer) 8 children
Peter Klassen of Spat was teacher on the estate for some time
25. Penner, Anna
About 8 V NNE of Karassan
Owner Anna Penner (nee Schroeder)
Inherited 827 dess from her father Peter Heinrich Schroeder, who died in 1896
Also inherited land from her father in the Taschtschenak region
Separated from her husband Wilhelm Penner
Sold much of her inherited land and travelled extensively
Died in Berlin 1945
26. Salgirka (Salgir-Kiat)
Near Akula Estate and Karassan
Owned by Komelius Wall
27. Schroeder, Heinrich
About lOv NNE of Karassan
Owned by Heinrich Peter Schroeder
60
298 dess inherited from his father Peter Heinrich Schroeder in 1 896, with final
disposition in 1901
Also inherited some land from his father in the Taschtschenak region
Fled from his estate during the Revolution
Died in Melitopol 5 December 1926
28. Schroeder, Margarethe P
Immediately N of Karassan
Owned by Margarethe Schroeder (married David Goossen 27 Febmary 1921)
Inherited 2 pieces of land, 1,431 and 100 dess (total 1,531) from her father Peter
Heinrich Schroeder, who died in 1896
Brother Peter and her mother lived with her in Novonikolsk
Probably sold estate before the Communists confiscated everything
Peter continued to live with them until he died in 1942
Margarethe and David to Paraguay, where they both died
29. Schroeder, Peter H
Central Crimea, mostly N of Karassan
Owned by Peter Heinrich Schroeder (1838-1896)
Purchased large tracts of land, starting in 1867, last purchase 1891
Did not cultivate the land himself; leased out the land to Russians and Mennonites;
there were at least 7 villages on his land
The villages were More, Baschlitscha, Dschav-Boryu, Bek Bulatschi, Sultan Bazar,
Dschyaga Baschi and Novonikolsk
He died 1896, at the time owningl0,614 dess, valued at 1,046,200R
His will gave smaller portions of land to the children of his first marriage, about
1,500 dess to each of the 6 children of his second marriage
30. Schroeder, Peter P
Central Crimea, NNW of Karassan, near Station Kurman Kimiltschi
Owned by Peter Peter Schroeder, son of Peter H Schroeder
Inherited 2 pieces of land from his father, totaling 1,483 dess
Mennonite village Baschlitscha on his property, as well as More
No appropriate manor house on his property, so he lived with his sister Margarethe
at Novonikolsk
Elected to Duma in 1914, traveled a lot
Sold property about 1918, converting assets to gold or jewelry
Peter died in Chortitza 6 June 1942
31. Schroeder, Wilhelm P
Immediately NE of Karassan
Owned by Wilhelm Peter Schroeder
Inherited 2 pieces of land, 1,167 dess and 287 dess (total 1,454 dess) from his father
Peter Heinrich Schroeder, who died in 1 896
Never actually lived on the estate; he probably managed it from Sevastopol, where
he and the family lived
Said to have sold the estate to a Mr Neufeld
61
He was a career officer in Czar’s forces
Murdered by Bolsheviks
32. Tamak (Dick)
Eastern Crimea, N of railway, near Sea of Azov
Owned by David Jakob Dick of Apanlee, originally bought by Mrs Peter Schmidt II
in 1875
1894 divided into 3 sections, 1 portion for each of her 3 daughters or their husbands
One portion received by David Dick and wife Katharina (nee Schmidt)
7,000 dess; park, forest, orchards, hay fields, cultivated land, pasture
200-300 workers, paid IR per day
Simmental cattle, milk cows, oxen, sheep, horses
Winter wheat, barley, oats
School with teacher
Dick family lived in Apanlee; autumn 1918 some fled to Tamak
Some employees and Dick family executed by Reds 1 April 1919
33. Tamak (Schmidt)
Eastern Crimea, N of railway, near Sea of Azov
Bought by Mrs Peter Schmidt II (Marie Wilhelm Schmidt) in 1 875
She bought it from Nikolai Shatylov for 3R per dess
Grist mill, brick and roof tile factory
Livestock and field crops
1894 divided into 3 sections, 1 portion for each of her 3 daughters or their husbands
With the division into 3 sections the original estate disappeared
34. Telentschi
South of Karassan
Franz Dick family and Johann Tjart and family lived on the estate
School; Gerhard Abraham Klassen teacher 1906-1909
Modem; running water and water heating
35. Termentschi (Termenchi)
NE of Simferopol
Owned by Elisabeth Abraham Thiessen
360 dess
36. Thiessen, Johann
About lOv directly N of Karassan
Owned by Johann and Marie (nee Schroeder) Thiessen, and when she died inheritance
went to their 2 sons, Johann and Konstantin
Inherited 1,700 dess from Marie’s father Peter Heinrich Schroeder when he died in 1896
Konstantin died as teenager
In time sole owner was Johann Thiessen
37. Tokmak
Eastern Crimea, near railway, SE of Mennonite village Schirin
Owned by J Comies, descendent of Johann Comies
Large
62
Herds of pure-bred cattle, cereal grains on massive scale
38. Wiebe (Philipp) Crimea
Estate owner Philipp Jakob Wiebe and three other families
Established village of Dzchaya-Shekh-Eli in 1888
In the years before WWI the other 3 families bought out Wiebe
Wiebe and his sons murdered on the estate by bandits (possibly 1918)
Sources:
Durksen, Martin. Die Krim war unsere Heimat, self published, Winnipeg, Canada, 1977,
many pages
Goerz, H, Mennonite Settlements in Crimea, Echo Historical Series (translated into English)
CMBC Publications, Winnipeg, Canada, 1992, many pages
Huebert, H T, Hierschau: An Example of Russian Mennonite Life, Springfield Publishers.
Winnipeg, MB, 1986 pp 324-325
Huebert, H T, Mennonite Estates in Imperial Russia, Springfield Publishers, Winnipeg, MB,
2008, many pages
63
64
OAnnovka
(Annenfeld)
/ r
Kurman Kemeltschi
. . .
.
4
!
_
Heirs of Peter Heinrich Schroeder
He died in 1896, Estate divided in 1901
1 Anna Penner
2 Heinrich Schroeder
3 Peter Peter Schroeder
4 Marie Thiessen
5 Albertine Martens
(Dschav-Boryu)
6 Johann Schroeder
_____ (Igrilik)
j 7 Wilhelm Schroeder
: 8 Margarethe Schroeder
/ ■/ \ More \
'Vi o \
j Baschlitscha
!. o _i - _
\ .V o
/• \ Bek Bulatschi
/ ° /
/ /\
O \ _
/ 6 ^"Sultan Bazar "\
_/
/ /
/ 1 /•■
< /
8 X
< 8 ../--N 2
•s-''
~j \_pschyaga Baschi \
Novonikolsk
Q Karassan
PETER HEINRICH SCHROEDER
ESTATE
in Central Crimea
Estimating boundaries from descriptions
found in the Dividing Document of 1 902
Not all land areas are superimposed on a map of 1 941
diawn exactly to scale Researched and Drawn by
Gerhard Dyck, Winnipeg
65
Tamak Estate
Jakob Dicks and their guests in front of the manor house at Tamak Estate
Entrance Gate at Tamak Estate Bay-on-lar Estate
Manor building constructed in 1 9 1 2 by
Kornelius Epp
66
Montanai Estate
Dr Anna Martins
daughter of Wilhelm Martins
Manor house of Heinrich and Anna Martins
Funeral of Heinrich W Martins, November 1905
67
RETREAT CENTRE
CRIMEA SOUTHERN COAST
For several years there had been discussion regarding a possible retreat centre in Crimea
at the teachers’ conferences in Halbstadt. Particularly interested in the project were two teachers,
B B Wiens and C Wiens.
In 1912 the two Wiens teachers spent their vacation time on the south coast of Crimea.
They had actually been commissioned by a group of teachers to find a suitable site for a retreat
centre. In their research they visited various health spas such as Gursuf, Yalta and Alupka. A
Tatar agent showed them a number of properties, including in the region of Alushta. One day
they explored a beautiful location situated rather high in the mountains, which had a beautiful
view of the coast and of course of the Black Sea. They had found what they were looking for!
They returned home to Halbstadt and started to collect money. When they had 1500 R, enough
to purchase the property, they returned to Alushta to pay Peter Isaak, who owned some of the
land. It was a very lovely site just above the “professors’ nook” at the foot of Kastell Mountain.
Next the retreat centre needed to be built. Abram Klassen, a wealthy religion teacher
from Halbstadt was willing to lend some money to help pay for the construction. A Mr Ediger,
who owned a neighbouring dacha, was willing to help. Teacher B B Wiens delayed the
construction of his own house in Halbstadt to oversee the building of the retreat.
Finally the house with four rooms and veranda was completed. From the veranda there
was a wonderful view of the surrounding mountains and coastline, not to mention the elaborate
villas of the rich and famous. The first guests in the retreat were the families of Wiens and
Klassen, who spent several weeks basking in the warm sun.
The initial structure was quite modest; it was hoped that in time project would generate
enough interest to enlarge the facility. There was even some support from Crimean interests.
The village of Ogus-Tobe contributed to enable the planting of suitable trees and grass. Even the
Chortitza Teachers’ Federation showed some interest!
Unfortunately the outbreak of World War I brought the wonderful plans for future use
and expansion of the centre to an end. Since the property was “german” it was subject to the
anti-german liquidation laws passed by the government, so it could not be used. Eventually the
building deteriorated, and in time burned to the ground.
68
Retreat Centre
69
CHURCHE
IN
CRIMEA
70
CHURCHES IN CRIMEA
It is interesting that while pictures of factories, mills, schools and other buildings have
been found, no picture of a church has been discovered. Undoubtedly the Crimean Mennonites
were people of faith, so this lack does not necessarily reflect a lack of interest, but it is peculiar!
This is the list of Mennonite churches which functioned in Crimea:
KARASSAN MENNONITE CHURCH
The Karassan Mennonite Church congregation was organized soon after the settlements
began in Crimea. It was founded in 1862 by Mennonites from the Molotschna Colony.
The first elder was Jakob Wiebe (1862-1880). With his death Heinrich B Unruh was
elected elder. He, in turn, died in 1883. Then Friedrich Raabe was elected. At the beginning of
his term of office the congregation separated into two, the new portion founding the
Ettingerbrunn Mennonite Church. Raabe actually joined the new congregation
Abraham Friesen became the elder of the remaining congregation, and served them well.
When he withdrew because of old age Hermann Rempel was elected elder. When Rempel
withdrew in 1921 Peter Letkemann served as elder untl the congregation was dissolved by the
Bolshevik government.
Some of the ministers of the congregation were: August Strauss, Johann Tjart, Hermann
Rempel, Komelius Janzen.
In 1905 there were 846 members with a total population of 1,928 people; later this
increased “considerably.” They had a large church building in Karassan. There were three
affiliates: Spat after 1882; Diurmen after 1884; Pasha-Chokmak after 1890
ETTINGERBRUNN (BUSAV-AKTACHI) MENNONITE CHURCH
Separated from the Karassan Mennonite Church in 1884. The first elder was Friedrich
Raabe, who came from the Karassan church. There were three ministerial elections 1890-1895.
Abraham Friesen of the Karassan congregation continued to serve the new branch as well. In
1901 H Martens was elected elder by a large majority. The old name was dropped; it was then
called Busav or the Busav-Aktachi congregation.
Martens was well liked, but unfortunately died of dysentery on November 1 1, 1905.
Minister P Friedrichsen was elected elder, and served faithfully for 20 years. He died July 26,
1926.
In the 1920s the Bolshevik authorities ordered the Busav congregation to be divided into
districts. The church never did have its own building, but held services in various schools.
MENNONITE BRETHREN CHURCH
The Mennonite Brethren started functioning in Crimea in the mid 1880s, through the
work of itinerant ministers based in the Rueckenau M B Church. An affiliate of the Rueckenau
church was organized, with headquarters in Spat. The first baptism in Crimea was in the spring
of 1885; 21 people were baptized by Elder David Schellenberg in the Salgir River.
Hermann Konrad was elected elder of the group in September of 1 886. Construction of a
building was begun in 1887. Additional ministers were dedicated in 1890, 1894, 1895 and 1897.
Heinrich Unruh was ordained in 1897.
71
Also in 1897 David Duerksen was called to the ministry. He was ordained as elder in
1899. The congregation then became independent. David Duerksen served with distinction until
he died 13 years later, in 1912.
The congregation built a beautiful new building in Schoental in 1910, with a seating
capacity of over 600. In 1910 the congregation consisted of 140 families, 330 members, totaling
880 persons, with later a substantial increase in numbers.
The church did not actually have affiliates, but there were separate independent groups in
Spat, Annovka, Baschlitscha and Tukulchak.
During World War 1 preaching in German was prohibited, the building in Schoental being
converted into a field hospital. After the end of the war the congregation again used the building
as a church, likely until the Bolsheviks prohibited all religious functions in the mid 1920s.
EVANGELICAL (MENNONITE) BRETHREN
In 1921 a new congregation emerged. The founder was Hermann Rempel, originally
from Gnadenfeld, Molotschna. When Rempel was elected elder of the Karassan congregation, he
and several other ministers worked for spiritual awakening. There was some reaction against the
methods used. This reaction induced Rempel and several other ministers to found a new
congregation. The Evangelical Mennonite Brethren Church.
In one year there were 137 members and seven ministers. The congregation grew
steadily. However, with the onset of religious persecution by the Bolshevik authorities all
religious life came to a standstill. Elder Rempel himself was an'ested and exiled.
KRIMMER MENNONITE BRETHREN CHURCH
The Krimmer Mennonite Brethren Church was founded in Annenfeld, Crimea, on 21
September, 1869. Through a spontaneous revival most of the families of the village began to
seek a more earnest Christian life, and to experience conversion. It was a group of 19 persons,
including Jakob A Wiebe (1836-1931). Wiebe asked aKleine Gemeinde leader, Johann Friesen,
to organize them into a congregation, which he did in 1 867. Wiebe was ordained as minister,
and soon thereafter as elder. The group asked one of its own members, Komelius Enns, to
baptize Elder Wiebe, who in turn baptized 18 others on 21 September 1869. Forward immersion
in a flowing stream was the chosen method of baptism. They settled on the name "'Mennoniten
Bruedergemeinde, ” soon adding the "’Krimmer” to distinguish it from the Mennonite Brethren
Church which had just been founded in the Molotschna in 1860. The Molotschna group also
baptized in a flowing stream by immersion, but unfortunately backwards!
The new church grew slowly; when it left for the United States in 1874 it numbered only
about 40 members. All of the group emigrated except for three families. The travelers arrived in
New York on 15 July 1874, then settled in Kansas.
The KMB church eventually had three congregations in Kansas, one in California, five in
South Dakota and two in Saskatchewan. Reported membership of the 1 1 congregations in 1954
was 1,791. Outstanding leaders in the first third of the twentieth century were David E Harder, D
M Hofer, J W Tschetter and missionary H C Bartel.
In 1960 most of the congregations Joined the Mennonite Brethren Church.
72
iCHOOL!
IN
CRIMEA
73
SCHOOLS IN CRIMEA
Every Mermonite village in Russia and Ukraine, regardless of location or colony, started
with an elementary school {Dorfschule). The villages in Crimea followed the same pattern.
Each village started with a school in the centre of the village, together with a teacherage, and of
course a qualified teacher There were Teachers’ Conferences in Crimea. Demonstration lessons
were presented and discussed. The conferences stimulated and fostered professional interests.
There was a Crimean School Board, at first an affiliate of the Molotschna board, but later
it became independent. The Board supervised the instruction of Religion and German in the
Mennonite schools. David Gerhard Duerksen was a member of the school board and worked to
raise the educational standards among the Mennonites of Crimea. J D Janzen was involved in
the founding of schools in Karassan, the Zentmlschule and the Maedchenschule. Other school
subjects were under the control of Russian government agencies.
It took a considerable length of time, four decades, until secondary schools were founded
in Crimea. At first there was thought to be no need, but also the necessary funds were lacking. If
further education was desired the students usually attended the Ohrloff or Halbstadt
KARASSAN ZENTRALSCHULE
A Zentralschule was founded in Karassan in 1905. There was originally some
controversy as to whether the school should be established in Karassan or Spat. The school was
for boys only. Its program of study was for three years. An added feature was a small
meteorological operation where students could study the weather.
The first teachers were Karl Friedrichsen, K Bergmami and Mr Ergler, a non-Mennonite.
The various churches cooperated in the function of the school. Abraham H Unruh, originally
from Barwenkovo, was appointed principal and teacher of religion in 1918.
The school operated with good results until the mid 1920s.
SPAT ZENTRALSCHULE
With the controversy about where to establish a Zentralschule, the Spat group decided to
go it alone, and establish their own school. A new building was constructed, and dedicated in
1906. Two teacherages were also built in 1906, and a third in 1907.
Until then Zentralschulen had been for boys only. The Spat school also accepted girls.
This remarkable feature assured that the classes would always be full.
There were good qualified teachers right from the beginning: Komelius Janzen from
Sagradovka, Franz Ediger and David Enns from Molotschna.
KARASSAN MAEDCHENSCHULE
J D Janzen was involved in the founding of the Karassan Maedchenschule and early on
was apparently one of the instructors
Sometime on or before 1910 the school was in operation
Continued on at least until 1915, when there were at 16 students, and teachers Maria
Wilmsen and Maria Janzen
74
Dedication ceremony at the opening of the Karassan Zentralschule
Spat Zentralschule
75
Teacher and students of one of the classes
of the Karassan Maedchenschule (1910)
Karassan Maedchenschule in 1915, with teachers Maria Wilmsen
and Maria Dyck
76
TSCHONGRAW BIBLE SCHOOL (1918-1924)
Missionary on furlough, Johann J Wiens, responded to what he felt was a need for a Bible
School in Russia. The Missions Committee of the Mennonite Brethren Conference favored the
project, and promised support. Notice of this idea mentioned in Die Friedensstimme showed that
other Christians were also interested. With the Missions Committee acceptance, the plan was
implemented in the autumn of 1918. Location was in Tschongraw, Crimea, the village where
Johann Wiens had settled. Heinrich J Braun, treasurer of the MB Conference , was appointed the
second teacher. Because the school and students had great difficulty getting teaching materials,
Heinrich donated books to the school from his own personal library. Gerhard J Reimer was also
an appointee, early in the New Year of 1919. The 35 first year students had considerable
difference in educational back ground, so they were divided into two levels. Abraham H Unruh,
well educated teacher at Barwenkovo, had transferred to the Karassan Zentralschule. In the
autumn of 1920 he was asked to join the teaching staff of the Bible School.
Eventually the school offered three years of education, with curriculum patterned
somewhat after that of the Gemran Baptist Seminary of Hamburg, which both Wiens and Braun
had attended.
The number of students in the six years of operation was:
1918-1919 - 35 students
1919 - 1920 - 37 students
1920- 1921 - 40 students
1921 - 1922 - 28 students
1922 - 1923 - 37 students
1923 - 1924 - 49 students
Total numbers, calculated year by year, was 226, although, because some of the students were
there for a number of years, this represented only 104 specific individuals Male to female ratio
was 3:2. It was mentioned that the males were likely to be ministers or evangelists; while the
females were there for self enrichment, or preparing to teach children or youth groups. Single to
married ratio was also 3:2.
Graduates who completed the full course totaled 22. Of these 13 left Russia, 7 to Canada,
4 to the USA, 1 to Brazil, and 1 to Paraguay. Presumably the others stayed and worked in Russia
It was remarked that the school had a good influence in the surrounding villages and
churches. The students quite willingly participated in the local church programs, ministering,
evangelizing and singing. As would be typical for a Mennonite institution at the time, the school
had a fair-sized and well organized choir.
In the autumn of 1 92 1 teacher Braun addressed the school and took his leave, soon after
fleeing from Russia, since his life was in danger.
Operation of the school had some governmental opposition when the Bolsheviks gained
full control of the region. In 1920 all teachers and students were arrested and committed to trial.
At the hearings, however, it was established that the charges against the school were false, so all
teachers and students were released. But the opponents simply bided their time. In March 1924,
with the school having 49 students, local authorities closed it down. Despite petitions to the
local Crimean government and to Moscow for permission to reopen, the requests were not
granted.
77
Remarkably, three teachers of the Bible School, Wiens, Unruh, and Reimer were able to
emigrate to Canada. There they founded the Winkler Bible School in 1925, under the leadership
of Abraham H Unruh. He then later was also instmmental in the establishment of the Mennonite
Brethren Bible College in Winnipeg.
Tschongraw Bible School
Tschongraw Bible School, Teachers, Students and Committee Members
78
WELL
KNOWN
MENNONITE
PEOPLE
79
WELL KNOWN MENNONITE INDIVIDUALS WHO LIVED AND WORKED IN
CRIMEA
DUERKSEN, DAVID GERHARD (see picture at end of section)
Bom 1850, probably in Margenau, Molotschna
Largely self taught, became very successful teacher and minister
Eventually joined the MB Church and was appointed as traveling evangelist
He was called “Prince among Mennonite preachers” because of his speaking skill
In 1897 moved from Margenau, to Schoental, Crimea
The MB congregation offered him the leadership, and on 23 May 1899 he was ordained
as elder of the Mennonite Brethren Church of Crimea by Elder David
Schellenberg and Elder Aaron Lepp
The congregation was then independent
A new building, seating capacity 600, was built in Schoental
Duerksen served faithfully, and with great blessing
He was an outstanding teacher; was a member of the school board and worked to raise
Mennonite educational standards in Crimea
In 1910 the congregation had 140 families, 330 members, with all dependents totaling
880 persons
David Gerhard Duerksen died 29 July 1910 in Spat, after a nine month illness
DUERKSEN (DURKSEN), MARTIN (see picture at end of section)
Bom 8 May 1919 on the trail his parents were traveling between Terek in the
Caucasus and Crimea
Parents Johann Duerksen and Katharina Heinrichs
Youngest of 13 children
Lived in Menlertschik, Crimea, until the age of ten
1929 via Moscow to Gemrany, then Femheim, Paraguay, in the Chaco
Elementary and highschool education and one year Bible school
Taught six years, then 1945-1948 studied at Bible seminaiy in Argentina
1950-1964 MCC worker in Argentina
Worked periodically with the Lengua Indians in Paraguay
1967 to Canada; 1969 began Gernian ministry with “Gospel Light Hour”
Mamed Kaethe Duerksen 1 1 January 1941, seven children, including Frank, orthopaedic
surgeon, specialist in leprosy surgery
Very interested in Mennonite history, especially events in Crimea. Chaired a
well attended reunion of people from Crimea in 1975, and edited a book
“D/e Krim war iinsere Heimat "
Health deteriorated, died 16 February 1995
Called a “dedicated minster and missionary.”
DYCK, PETER ISAAK
Bom 20 April 1900 in Karassan, Crimea
Parents Isaak Dyck and Maria Pankratz
Probably attended Dorfschule and Zentralschule in Karassan
80
Kommerzschule in Alexanderkrone in Molotschna, then Gymnasium in Simferopol,
which he completed in 1919
Medical faculty at University of Simferopol, some of the time during the famine of
1921-1922
Studies periodically interrupted by the Russian Civil War
Peter spent some of this time in a non-combatant service preparing documentation for
various soldiers, including Mennonites
Interned at University of Kasany, on the Volga, and completed his medical studies in
1926
Worked at Muntau Hospital 1926-1928, where he met nurse Maria Bartel
They married 5 August 1928, had four children
Eventually escaped to Germany in 1930
Studied tropical medicine in Hamburg
Migrated to Brazil, where he and wife worked for many years
Died 2 June 1987 at the age of 87 years
FRIEDRICHSEN, PETER
Bom 10 July 1866 on the Tashchenak Estate, Ukraine
His family probably originally came from Palatinate
Baptized 3 June 1884 at Sarabasch, Crimea
Married Sarah Martens 25 April 1891; she died
Then Peter married widow Maria Wiens Fast on 23 August 1920
He was well educated; deeply grounded in the Scriptures
In 1889 elected as minister by the Ettingerbrunn, later Busav congregation
Ordained as minister by Elder Heinrich Martens on 15 May 1903
After the death of H Martens he was elected elder of the church, and ordained as
elder 7 May 1906 by Elder Abraham Friesen of the Karassan Church
His ministry extended well beyond the boundaries of his own large congregation
Very active; preached 2,015 sermons in addition to all his other pastoral duties
In addition to his work as minister and elder he was also a fanner, and held a number
of other public positions
Peter lived in the village of Busav-Aktachi (Ettingerbrunn)
Tended to be a quiet person, preferring to reading a book to engaging in discussion
When it came to witnessing, or supporting a good cause, however, he was apparently very
talkative
He was considered to be a “fearless preacher of the Gospel”, free of legalism
Peter died 18 July 1926, deeply mourned by his own congregation, but also the wider
Mennonite community
FRIESEN, PETER MARTIN (see picture at end of section)
Bom 1 849 in Sparrau, Molotschna
Parents Martin Jakob Friesen and Helena Klassen
Fifth of seven children
Graduated from Halbstadt Zentralschule
Studied in Switzerland, then Odessa and Moscow
81
Teacher in Halbstadt Zentralschule, then principal 1880-1 886
Married Susanna Fast; had six children
Son Paul served in Sanitaetsdienst
To Wohldemfuerst, then Odessa, then an estate to rest
1898-191 1 lived in Sevastopol
Organized a church, involved in political organizations
For years worked on extensive history of the Mennonite Brethren Church
Finally completed and published in 1911
Moved to Tiege, Molotschna in 1911
Died 19 October 1914 in Tiege
JANZEN, J D (see picture at end of section)
Bom 1874 in Gnadenfeld, Molotschna
Graduated from Zentralschule
Age 1 7 teacher on an estate, then in 2 years in Franztal
To Karassan 1905, working as accountant
Chairman of school society which founded Zentralsclnde and Maedchenschule in
Karassan
He taught in the Maedchenschule in Karassan
1918 to Sevastopol as business representative
1924 to Mexico, then 1926 to Canada
Died 1948 in BC
KLASSEN, ABRAM JAKOB
Bom 3 December 1884 in Ohrloff, Molotschna
Parents Jakob P Klassen and Agnes Goerz, daughter of Elder Abram Goerz
of Ohrloff
In 1 893 parents moved to Spat, Crimea, where they had purchased a farm
Abram attended elementary school in Spat
Then he went to Ohrloff Zentralsclnde, from which he graduated in three years
Appeared to be above usual intelligence
Mother in particular influenced him in character development and his Christian life
Father died 18 August 1902
Abram, the eldest son, helped his mother manage the fami and raise his younger
brothers and sisters
Mother married again October 1903; Abram was relieved of some of his responsibilities
He studied at home and had private tutoring to prepare himself for the teachers’ exam
Teacher in Ebenfeld, Samara, for two years (1904-1906)
Forstei at Alt-Berdyansk; worked as meteorologist
Married Agnes A Esau October 1910
With wife spent one year in the Froese business of Barwenkovo - to learn business
practice
Thereafter opened his own business in Spat, Crimea. Business did well
With outbreak of World War 1 drafted into Sanitaetsdienst, serving first in
Simferopol, then in a sanitorium in Szaki, a spa in Crimea
82
Was forced to close his business during this time
After the war was elected as minister by his home congregation at Spat, then ordained
He was elected as Crimea representative for the churches (KfK.)
The Revolution and subsequent Civil War brought him, like many others, into financial
ruin, so he turned to farming
Spring 1925 he was visited by brother Peter, who had followed Abram as teacher in
Ebenfeld. Purpose was to convince Abram to migrate to Canada or Mexico
But Abram felt that his obligation was to remain in Russia, he was more needed
than ever
January 1926 real staiggles began. With a colleague J J Wiebe of Menlerchick, was
given the option of resigning from the ministry with promise of full
citizenship after that. They did not accept this offer.
November 1926 Abram wrote his brother Peter that he had spent a month visiting all
members he could find - to serve them with the Word.
28 October 1928 imprisoned in Simferopol for 32 days
In 1929 Abram and J J Wiebe blamed for the rush of Mennonites to Moscow to get
exit visas. He was imprisoned, tortured and beaten 12-19 hours a day.
Abram Klassen, J .1 Wiebe and three others sentenced to death. On 6 April 1930 sentence
reduced to 10 years exile in the far north
In the meantime wife and children driven from their home on Feb 2, 1930. Eventually
allowed to return home after a time in prison
Abram’s health deteriorated; occasionally helped by food packages from Canada and
from his home in Spat
Worked at an office in Archangel region, village of Jeretnaja; was trusted in supervisory
capacity
Gradually weaker; coughed up blood on two occasions.
To hospital in Sibulon
Died 5 July 1931 (likely of tuberculosis)
Wife originally informed of his severe illness and wanted to visit him. She arrived two
days after his death
KROEKER, ABRAHAM JAKOB (see picture at end of section)
Bom 1 1 December 1 863 in Rosenort, Molotschna
Became village school teacher 1881 at the age of 18
1889 joined the MB Church and worked as missionary in Romania for 3 years
1 894 moved to Spat, taking up fanning
Became active writer, published Christliclier Fainilienkulendar and Christlicher
Abreiskaleiidar, 1903 published book; Pastor Wuest, der grosse
Enveckungsprediger /'/; den deutschen Kolonien Riisslands
With cousin Jakob Kroeker began publishing the first Mennonite newspaper in Russia,
Die Friedensstimme, first printed in Berlin in 1903
1904 moved to Halbstadt where he continued with the newspaper, but also helped
establish publishing house Raduga
Continued with Die Friedensstimme until he had to flee from Russia in 1921
83
Migrated to Winnipeg, then Mountain Lake, Minnesota
He continued to write articles and books until he died 22 November 1944
It is considered that he was the pioneer of Mennonite letters in Russia
KROEKER, JAKOB JAKOB (see picture at end of section)
Bom 31 October 1872 in Gnadental, Molotschna; was cousin of Abraham Jakob Kroeker
Obtained teaching certificate and taught in Menlerchik, Crimea
Studied 4 years at Mission Seminary, Hamburg, Germany
Back to Crimea, ordained as minister and elder of the MB Church
Worked together with David Duerksen as itinerant minister
With cousin Abraham Kroeker founded the first Mennonite newspaper
Die Friedensstimme in 1903; continued to work with it until 1910
1906 moved to Halbstadt, where he helped to found Raduga Publishing House
Worked with Dr Friederich Baedeker, traveling around Russia
1910 moved to Wemigerode, Germany; continued theological studies and writing
Founded ''Licht am Osten" a missionary society which helped educate Russian preachers
Maintained ties with Mennonite world; delivered talk at 1925 Mennonite World
Conference in Basel, Switzerland
1945 moved to Stuttgart; died there 12 December 1948
LANGEMANN, JOHANN (see picture at end of section)
Came from Margenau, Molotschna
Learned the shoe-making trade as a youth
Migrated to Crimea in 1881
Played a leading role in the establishment of Spat and Menlerchik
In partnership with a Mr Chimtzov, founded a factory in Spat in 1894 to manufacture
agricultural machinery. When Mr. Chimtzov died his heirs sold their portion to
Langemann, so he became the sole owner. He steadily enlarged the factory, by
1914 employing 450 workers
In partnership with J Janzen owned a large steam mill in Spat
Died of cancer in 1908
MARTENS, HEINRICH
Head of the Agricultural Union of Crimea, starting somewhat after 1920
Union aided fanners by supplying seed grain and machinery
It owned its own grain farm in Danilovka
It attempted to train tractor operators when the American relief tractors arrived
in the early 1920s
All this said to be under the skilled leadership of Martens
With closing down of opportunities Martens got to Gennany via Moscow in 1929
Along with 700 refugees migrated to Brazil
He became one of the leading founders of the Witmarsum Colony in the Krauel
MARTINS, ANNA (ANYA) (see picture at end of section)
Bom 10 May 1898 on the Montana! Estate, near Eupatoria, Crimea
Parents were Wilhelm Wilhelm Martins and Maria Dyck
Anna graduated from medicine at the University of Simferopol, 1923 or 1924
84
Never married
Migrated to Canada in 1926
Assume that she participated in some post-graduate psychiatric training in Canada
Ran a psychiatric practice in Hamilton, Ontario, with office right next to her home
Died 1985 in Hamilton
Buried in Ruddel Saskatchewan, where other members of her family are buried
REMPEL, HERMANN ARON
Bom 1856, Gnadenfeld, Molotschna
Zentralschide in Halbstadt
To Karassan as a young man, teacher in the elementary school
Elected as minister by the Mennonite Church in 1903
When Abraham Friesen retired , Hennann was elected elder, some time after 1910
He and several other ministers worked for spiritual awakening
Evoked some strong opposition
Rempel and several other ministers founded a new congregation named Evangelical
Mennonite Brethren Church in 1921. Rempel was elected elder
The church stressed repentance, conversion and sanctification
Immersion baptism
In one year had 137 members and 7 ministers
Church grew rapidly, but with communist religious persecution spiritual life came to a
standstill
1929 he and his family attempted to escape Russia via Moscow
Instead sent to Memrik, where he worked in a coal mine
During holidays he even visited his orphaned church in Crimea
Exiled to Siberia where as a result of mistreatment he died
Wife and sons accompanied him to exile, and also died there
SAWATZKY, PETER JAKOB
Bom 14 June 1886 in Wiesenfeld, Pavlograd District, province of Ekaterinoslav
Youngest of 16 children of Jakob J Sawatzky and Maria Huebert
Zentralschule in Halbstadt
Two years teacher training, then taught near Gulyaipole
But preferred medicine. Studied at Gymnasium in Ekaterinoslav, then medicine at
New Russian University in Odessa beginning in 1908
Married Margaretha Reimer; two children, Woldemar and Agnes
Woldemar bora 22 July 1922 in Karassan, also became physician
To Bethania, then Odessa
About 1917 to Karassan despite Revolution and Civil War
1923 settled in Lutheran district at Naimann
Moved to Feodosiya to help in education of children
Increasing jealousy of colleagues
18 November 1937 araested and imprisoned
Released from exile and returned to family in 1946, resumed practice
1956 retired and moved to Karaganda, Kazakhstan, where the children lived
85
Died 22 November 1962
SCHROEDER, PETER HEINRICH (see picture at end of section)
Bom 23 September 1838 in Sandhof, West Prussia
Family moved to South Russia likely in 1850s, probably to Molotschna
Married Katharina Martens, widow of estate owner Wilhelm Martens, about 1 861
Through Katharina he had access to part of the land in the Taschtschenak region
2 children, Anna, Heinrich
Wife Katharina died 1864. Peter married again, Maria Klassen
Had further 8 children, 6 reaching adulthood
Purchased large tracts of land in Crimea, beginning 1867 until 1891
Did not cultivate the land himself, but leased out the land to Russians and Mennonites
At least 7 villages on his land
Towards the end charged 6R rent per dess plus up to 1/3 of the crop
Peter died 30 August 1896; holdings then were 10,614 dess valued at 1,046,200R
His will gave 1,500 dess to each of the children of Maria Klassen, lesser amounts to the
others, since they also received land elsewhere
SCHROEDER, PETER PETER (see picture at end of section)
Bom 3 December 1866 in Melitopol, eldest of the 8 children bom to Peter Heinrich
and second wife Maria Klassen
Spent youth on parental estate at Taschtschenak; further schooling, likely Recilscliule
and Koinmerzschule in Melitopol
To university in Kharkov in the field of commerce
Fairly early took up residence on his Crimean land holdings in order to supervise them
Had no manor house, so he lived with his sister Margaretha in nearby Novonikolsk
1912 elected to the Duma as a “Progressive Party” member.
Worked on committees, but never actually spoke in the Duma.
Tenn ended in 1917
Disposed of his estate lands before the communists took over, likely converted into
gold or jewelry
1918 to Simferopol, then in 2-3 years to Zaporozhye, then to Chortitza
Lived with Margarethe and her husband David Goossen, quiet, unassuming life
Died in Chortitza 6 June 1942
UNRUH, ABRAHAM HEINRICH (see picture at end of section)
Bom 5 April 1878 in Temir-Bulat, Crimea
Father died prematurely, mother unable to manage the whole family
Abraham sent to live with his uncle, Komelius Unruh, headmaster of the Ohrloff
Zeiitralschule
Graduated from ZentralscJmle, then teachers’ college
Age 17 village teacher at Menlerchik, Crimea, for 8 years
Converted, became MB
Married Katharina Toews of Spat
1903 to Barwenkowo, taught elementary school
Elected to ministry and ordained
86
Instructed in German by brother Benjamin and earned teaching certificate
1915-1917 served as medical orderly
Taught German and Religion in Barwenkowo Kommerzschule
1918 principal ofKarassan Kommerzschule
1920-1924 taught in Tschongraw Bible School
When Bible School was closed down, he emigrated to Canada January 1925
He was one of the founders of the Winkler Bible School
1944 one of the founders of advanced Bible School which became Mennonite Brethren
Bible College. 1 954 resigned so he could more actively travel and preach
2 June 1938 Honorary Doctorate from Bethel College, Newton, Kansas
Continued to write and preach
Wrote history of MB Church published in 1954
Also wrote a considerable number of shorter articles
Died 15 January 1961
UNRUH, BENJAMIN HEINRICH (see picture at end of section)
Bom 17 Septemberl881 in Temir-Bulat, Crimea
Gifted and eager student, elementary school in home village and neighboring Tukulchak
1895 to Ohrloff Zeiitralschule where his uncle Komelius Unruh was the principal
Then teacher training, school in Basel 1900-1907
To Halbstadt, where he taught German and Religion at the Kommerzschule and the
Ma edch euschule
Was very well thought of as a teacher
Elected to Mennonite congress in Ohrloff, in 1919 chair of Meunoze/itrum
On Study Commission to work on Mennonite migration from Russia
Published a large number of books and pamphlets on theology, church history and
Mennonite history
Eventually moved to Karlsruhe, Germany
Helped in some of the migration of Mennonites through Moscow in 1929-1930
1947 honorary doctorate in theology from University of Heidelberg
Was unfortunately quite sympathetic to the Nazi cause and influenced some of the
Paraguayan refugees in this regard
Died 12 May 1959 in Gemiany
UNRUH, HEINRICH BENJAMIN
Bom 24 May 1847 in Waldheim, Molotschna
Moved with parents to Schwestertal, Crimea, then when he married he moved to
Temir-Bulat
Economically struggled to raise a large family, 9 living children
All the sons were involved in religious work
Gerhard and Komelius missionaries in India;
Abraham teacher and preacher.
Benjamin teacher and leader
Served Crimean Mennonite Church as minister beginning in 1874
Following the death of the first elder, Jakob Wiebe, Unruh was elected elder
87
of the Mennonite Church based in Karassan in 1880
Talented, and beloved by his congregation
Had to visit and serve the widely scattered groups of his congregation
Died of pneumonia 1 7 October 1 883 at age of 36
WIEBE, JAKOB A
Bom 1836 in Margenau, Molotschna
Earned his own living working as hired hand
Worked as a minister in the Kleine Gemeinde
After marriage he and several others bought a Tatar village in Crimea, founded
Annenfeld (Annovka)
A Kleine Gemeinde minister preached to the group of settlers, a number of settlers
experienced conversion
Fornied a new group, Krimmer Mennonite Brethren Church; immersion baptism,
forwards, in 1869
Initially 18 members; more Molotschna Kleine Gemeinde settlers joined
Most of the group migrated to the US in the 1870s, together with Elder Wiebe,
settling in Kansas
Resigned as elder in 1900
He died in 1921
WIEBE, JOHANN JOHANN
Bom 15 May 1884, in Schottenruh (Diunnen), Crimea
His parents were Johann J Wiebe from Altona, Molotschna, and Anna Unruh, who
came from Crimea
Having completed elementary school in Schottenruh he continued his
education in Ohrloff, where he attended Zentralschule for three years
His uncle, Komelius B Unruh was teacher in Ohrloff at that time
Upon graduation from Ohrloff Johann attended the teachers’ college in Halbstadt,
then passed the teacher examinations in Melitopol.
At first he was teacher at Busav, then in the village of Menlerchik in Crimea
Here he met and married Justina Dueck, who came from Menlerchik
With the onset of World War I Johann was drafted into the All-Russian branch of the
Semstwo Sanitaetsclienst
After three years of service he returned to his home church, and was promptly
called to be a minister, and soon after was ordained
Circumstances made it difficult to continue his teaching career; he became a farmer
Johann’s activities as evangelist, as a member of an inter church committee, as a legal
representative for young draftees, and his frequent trips to Simferopol drew
the attention of the Soviet bureaucrats. As a result he was jailed in 1928.
He was soon released, but had to regularly report to the police.
When in 1929 many Mennonites appeared in Moscow in attempts to migrate, Wiebe
and others were blamed. Together with four other ministers Wiebe was jailed
and condemned to death. After 27 days in solitary confinement the sentences
were reduced to 10 years exile on the island of Solowki on the White Sea.
88
After these occun'ences all prisoners from Crimea were routinely sentenced to
Archangel in the north of Russia. From Archangel Wiebe and the others were
transferred to Solowki.
In 1937, after 8 years of imprisonment, second-hand information was that Wiebe
had been moved to the Ural region. In the meantime the Wiebe family had
actually been exiled to the Urals as well.
Apparently because of his hard work and his excellent behavior his sentence had
been reduced by two years. Johann wrote at the time “I have fought a good
fight, I have kept the faith “
Since then no more news...
WFENS, JOHANN GERHARD (see picture at end of section)
Bom 3 August 1874 in Steinthal, Molotschna
Youngest of seven children of Gerhard Wiens and Susanna Friesen
Elementary and secondary education in Molotschna
Attended Baptist Seminary in Hamburg, Germany 1899-1903
Baptized Mennonite Brethren June 1900
Married Helena Hildebrand; two sons and a foster daughter
Wife Helena died, married Helena Wiens
To India as missionary 1904-1910
1918 lived in Tschongraw; by MB Missions Committee appointed as leader and teacher
of the Tschongraw Bible School
1924 school was shut down by the communist government
Migrated to Canada. Abraham Unruh established the Winkler Bible School in 1925, with
Wiens as one of the teachers
He taught in Winkler for 23 years, until 1949
Johann Gerhard Wiens died 2 January 1951
89
David Gerhard Duerksen
pastor - teacher
Martin Duerksen
evangelist
Well-known individuals who lived and worked in Crimea
J D Janzen
teacher - businessman
Peter Martin Friesen
historian -writer
Well-known individuals who lived and worked in Crimea
Abraham Jakob Kroeker
editor
Jakob Jakob Kroeker
editor - evangelist
Johann Langemann
businessman
Anna Martins
physician - psychiatrist
Well-known individuals who lived and worked in Crimea
Peter Peter Schroeder
estate owner - Duma member
Peter Heinrich Schroeder
estate owner
Benjamin Heinrich Unruh
teacher - politician
Abraham Heinrich Unruh
Bible teacher
Well-known individuals who lived and worked in Crimea
Johann Gerhard Wiens
Bible teacher
93
MIGRATION
18734880
94
MIGRATION 1873-1880
FAMILIES LEAVING SOUTH RUSSIA
Chortitza - 580 families - 3,240 people
Bergthal - 440 families - 3,000 people (virtually the entire colony)
Molotschna - (numbers not certain) 784 families - 4,500 people
Crimea - 107 families (about 642 individuals)
Two specific groups of people are known to have migrated from Crimea
From Hierschau, Molotschna to Bruderfeld , Crimea, in early 1860s
Then 1873-1874 - 8 families, 47 people to USA
Krimmer Mennoniten Bruedergemeinde - said to consist of 20 families (likely
about 120 people)
Left from Annenfeld (Annovka) near Simferopol,
arrived in New York on 15 July 1874, via S S City of Brooklyn -
Liverpool to New York, settled in Kansas
The others from Crimea migrated singly or in separate small family groups
HIERSCHAU-BRUDERFELD
Five families left Hierschau in the early 1860s (1861-1864), moving to Crimea, likely founding
the little village of Bruderfeld in the north-east plain. Most of the people of this village
then seem to have migrated to the United States in the 1870s
Tobias Unruh (50) farmer
S S Hammonia - Hamburg New York, arr 15 Aug 1873
Total 1 1 people, to Parker, South Dakota (Hiebert, p 68)
Wife Katharina (nee Sperling) (47)
Peter (22), Komelius (16), Heinrich (9), Tobias (9), Anna (8), Maria (7), Aganetha (4)
Johann (26), Katharina (23)
Jakob H Pankratz (53) farmer
S S Herder - Hamburg New York arr 20 Aug 1 874
Wife Katharina (38)
Heinrich (24), Peter (21), Johann (20), Franz (18), Elisabeth (27), Abraham (9), Anna (7),
Jakob (5), Wilhelm (1 U), Marie (2 mo)
S S Silesia - Hamburg New York arr 8 July 1 874
There were 28 people in all, aboard the S S Silesia who had roots in Hierschau
Jakob Loewen (55) fanner
Marie (50) wife
Heinrich (24), Komelius (22), Marie (16), Franz (15)
Jakob Loewen (3 1 ) fanner)
Helena (25) wife
Jakob (7), Marie (3), Helene (1 1 mo), Katharina (1 mo)
95
Isaak Loewen (29) fanner
Justine (25) wife
Heinrich (1 mo)
Dietrich Loewen (25) farmer
Sarah (25) wife
Friedrich (4), Marie (6 mo)
Engbrecht, Peter (65) fanner
Margaret (62) wife
Anna (25)
Beier (Beyer), Johann (24) farmer
Aganetha (22) wife (daughter of Peter Engbrecht)
Altogether there were 8 families with a total of 47 people
Many of the people originally from Hierschau settled in Turner County, South Dakota
Jakob L Loewen moved to Hierschau with his parents when the village was founded in 1848.
They then moved to Bruderfeld in Crimea in the early 1 860s, then migrated to the USA,
Turner County, near Parker, in 1874. Here they attended the Bruderfeld Church. In 1902
the Jakob Loewens moved to Saskatchewan, to a place near Waldheim, attending a
church called Bmderfeld.
(Hierschau, pp 104, 105)
Sources:
Hiebert, Clarence, Brothers in Deed to Brothers in Need, Faith and Life Press, Newton Kansas
1974
Huebert, Helmut T, Hierschau: An Example of Russian Mennonite Life, Springfield Publishers,
Winnipeg, Canada, 1986
KRIMMER MENNONITEN BRUEDERGEMENDE LIST
Said to consist of 20 families (likely about 120 people). Left from Annenfeld (Annovka) near
Simferopol, departed from Liverpool, arrived in New York on 15 Julyl874, via S S City of
Brooklyn. Eventually settled in Kansas
Actually there were 32 families traveling on the SS City of Brooklyn, consisting of 165
individuals. Not absolutely certain that they were all from the KMB group
Definite members were:
Wiebe, Jakob (Elder), age 37
Wife Juliana (40)
Katherine (12)
Jakob (3)
96
Johanna (1)
Harder, Johann, age 51
Wife Elisabeth (35)
Johanna (12)
Elisabeth (11)
Abraham (8)
Isbrand (7)
Heinrich (3)
David (1)
Berg, Peter (Elder). Age 28
Wife Anna (23)
Peter (2)
Andreas ( 1 )
97
REVOLUTION
CIVIL WAR
COMMUNIST
TAKEOVER
98
REVOLUTION, CIVIL WAR and the COMMUNIST TAKEOVER
In the Russian Revolution and Civil War General Anton Denikin was initially the
military commander of the White Army. With increasing criticism and emotional exhaustion, he
resigned in April of 1920 in favour of General Pyotr Wrangel. The White Arniy in time had to
retreat southwards, into Crimea. With increasing pressure from the communist Red Army,
General Wrangel and thousands of his forces needed to escape. They were ferried off to safety in
Turkey by remnants of the Russian Imperial Navy, which became known as WrangeTs Fleet.
But much of Wrangels’s anny, and of course the civilians in Crimea, remained under
Communist control. At least 50,000 prisoners of war and civilians were executed by shooting or
hanging by the Communists at the end of 1920. There were undoubtedly a considerable number
of Mennonites among those executed, both those who had been with the White Army, and
civilians who lived in Crimea.
In the 1920s the life under the Communist regime in Crimea was much the same as that
experienced by Mennonites in other parts of South Russia.
In the early 1920s all of the estate owners were either driven off their property or left of
their own accord. By 1923 all of the estates seem to have been abandoned. They were taken
over by the suiTounding people or were incorporated into collective or cooperative farms. In
some cases the buildings were used, in others, such as Alatsch, all buildings were destroyed. A
number of the estate owners were murdered, for example the Dick family, who were executed by
the Reds in 1919, and Philipp Wiebe and his son in 1920.
In the early and mid 1 920s the Mennonites of Crimea had the same opportunities as those
of the rest of southern Russia to escape. When the Tschongraw Bible School was closed in 1924,
all of the teachers, Abraham H Unruh, Johann G Wiens and Gerhard J Reimer, were able to
emigrate to Canada. J D Janzen first migrated to Mexico in 1924 then to Canada in 1926.
Abraham Jakob Kroeker was able to flee from Russia in 1921, first to Canada, and then the USA.
Many of those who had not managed to migrate from Russia in the mid 1 920s then heard
that it might be possible to escape via Moscow in 1929/1930. At least 15,000 Mennonites
collected in Moscow, hoping for special exit visas. Actually somewhat over 6,000 did receive
documents which allowed them to depart via Riga and Germany, but many bitterly disappointed
people were either shipped back home or were exiled to northern Russia or Siberia. From
Kadagai some people were able to flee to Canada. From Ebenfeld 13 families (63 individuals)
were able to emigrate, while 20 families (92 individuals) were sent back. In 1930 all Sarona
residents were exiled to Archangel, the Caucasus or Kazakhstan, and the estate/village was
turned into a collective fann. Eight families, consisting of husbands, wives and a total of 34
children escaped to Paraguay. One husband was exiled, while his wife and two sons were able to
go to Paraguay. Oddly, one family from Menlerchik was able to escape to Paraguay, while
another was sent into exile.
In the 1930s Stalin’s brutal treatment of perfectly innocent people became more obvious.
Many of the remaining Mennonite men were arrested, imprisoned, then sent into exile. Most
were never seen again. In 1941, after the German invasion had begun, the Soviet policy was to
transport as many of the “aliens” as far east as possible. It was as a result of this policy that
entire Mennonite villages were mobilized and transported out of Crimea, with the ultimate aim of
99
sending them to the far north, Siberia or Kazahkstan. The travels of the people of Tschongraw,
first northwards, then finally into the Molotschna was part of this scheme, which did not quite
work out according to the Soviet plan. It is likely that all of the Mennonite villages had similar
plans for moving their citizens out of Crimea.
General Pyotr Wrangel
Mennonite women working on a Kolkhoz in Crimea late 1920s or early 1930s
100
THE CRIMEAN GYPSIES
{DIE KRIMMER ZEGEUNER)
Tschongraw was a Mennonite village in Crimea, originally founded in 1912 by Gerhard
Wiens. It was a beautiful village with houses built of stone topped by tiled roofs; ample orchards
provided plums, apples, apricots, pears and chemes. Besides the usual cereal grains the farmers
also grew sunflowers and cotton. Tschongraw flourished and even had a Bible School in
operation from 1918-1924. With the Communist takeover the villagers suffered the same fate as
did Mennonites all over the Soviet Union. The church ceased to function and the building was
used by the school. A collective farm was established in the region about 1931, with the large
Wiens establishment becoming the storage area for farm machinery. In the Purge of 1936-1938 a
number of men were “taken” from Tschongraw. Among them were;
Jakob Janzen (taken in 1936, then released in two months)
Franz T Teichrieb (November 24, 1936)
Nicolai Huebert (January 30, 1937)
Abram Hildebrand (February, 1938)
Franz Warkentin (1938).
Most were never seen again.
On August 16, 1941, all Mennonites were ordered to leave Tschongraw; they were sent to
the station at Bijuk in wagons. As the wagon train lumbered along, the villagers joined voices in
the hymn...”Fc>/7 der Erde reiss niich los, mciche meinen Glauheu gross...” At Bijuk they were
put on trains which headed north. Their train was stopped at Melitopol for two days, where there
were another 17 or 18 trains of refugees, then headed further north to Zaporozhye, where it
arrived August 24. They were obviously near the war zone (Germany had invaded Russia on
June 22, 1941, and the front was rapidly moving eastward), since the refugees could hear the
rumble of cannons. The train was halted near the railway station and basically could not move,
since German shells from across the Dniepr would straddle it when it tried to pull away. The
Tschongraw group felt that things were just too dangerous, so they fled on foot, carrying from the
train only what they had grabbed in panic. A group of overlOO people, including children,
walked about four kilometres to the Russian village of Balabino. In general they headed south
and east. They tended to stay out of villages, sending children to ask for permission to sleep in
the bams and beg for food.
In this way the Tschongrawers wandered for about a month, finally reaching the
Molotschna Mennonite Colony. They divided into two groups, making it easier for people to
help them, then walked from village to village. Their reception was generally good - they were
given food and occasionally even work. At Fuerstenwerder they were divided among the homes,
and the collective fami cooked and baked for them and gave the men jobs.
When they reached the next village, Gnadenheim, the Tschongrawers were taken into
custody and ordered to go to the neighbouring village, Friedensdorf Here they were all
registered on September 28 or 29, then ordered to board trains at Tschemigowka, to be sent to
Siberia. The group was taken by wagons, through Landskrone and Hierschau. Possibly because
of poor weather and muddy roads they stopped in Waldheim, where they were put up in the club
house of the Neufeld mill. The Tschongrawers all stayed in one building, with a guard at the
101
door who registered them as they came and went. They were told to prepare for a three-day train
trip, and since they had nothing, they started begging to obtain supplies. Waldheim had already
been covered by many beggars, so they went to the neighbouring villages, including Hierschau,
to obtain food, blankets and pillows.
The group was informed that all men 16 to 65 years of age were to collect at the
headquarters in Waldheim at 10 AM September 30. The men went, were taken into a room, then
marched away. Some were never seen or heard from again. Presumably they were sent to
Siberian or northern Russian labour camps and died there.
Of the Tschongraw group these men were taken:
Jakob Janzen - husband of Anna Janzen
Gerhard Janzen - son
Jakob Janzen - son
Gerhard Toews - husband of Olga Toews
Peter Wiens - son of Justina Huebert (formerly Wiens)
Franz Klassen - husband of Aganetha Klassen
Nicolai Enns - husband of Maria Enns
Heinrich Enns - son
Nicolai Enns - son
Gerhard Huebert - brother of the Huebert girls
Johann (Hans) Warkentin - husband of Maria Warkentin
Johann (Hans) Hildebrand - brother of Abram Hildebrand
Gerhard Warkentin
The remaining refugees stayed in Waldheim a few more days, still trying to beg for
supplies, although it was becoming increasingly difficult to get anything.
On October 2 they were taken to the railway station Stulnewo by wagon. From there they
were to be loaded onto trains and transported further behind the Russian lines. Every day more
people arrived from the surrounding villages, until there were about 7,000 collected at Stulnewo -
all camping out in the open. They used simple tin cans, which had been collected from the
neighbouring villages, for cooking. They washed their clothing in the near-by river, then bathed
in the river till their clothes dried.
It soon became obvious that the Russians would not be able to evacuate all the refugees.
Explosions could be heard in the distance when the various major buildings and factories were
blown up, such as the Neufeld mill in Waldheim. The retreating Russians tried to bum down
some of the granaries near Stulnewo - the refugees could see the fires blazing through the night.
The morning of October 6 was very still, not even the trees moved. Since no one seemed
to be in charge, the refugees scattered away from Stulnewo. The Tschongraw group went south
into the Molotschna and settled in Hierschau. That day German and Rumanian troops occupied
the area.
The native Hierschauers had themselves also been sent to Stulnewo to be evacuated, and
were now also returning home. The buildings of the village had been left intact, so they simply
moved back into their own homes. The Tschongraw group was housed in a creamery building -
a total of nine families (39 people) crammed into two rooms. The families were (with most of
the men missing by now);
102
Jakob Janzens
Gerhard Toews’s
Franz Teichriebs
Heinrich Hueberts
Franz Klassens
Nicolai Enns’s
Nicolai Hueberts
Franz Warkentins (Jr)
Franz Warkentins (Sr)
Some of the Tschongraw group moved in with relatives in the surrounding villages, the
Abram Hildebrand family staying with Warkentin relatives in Lindenau. In the creamery each
family chose a comer of a room in which to sleep. Since they had no furniture, and very little in
the way of belongings, and no blankets, they slept on straw and used their coats to cover up
against the night cold. The refugees scoured the sumounding fields, and found a few tomatoes
which the frost had spared. These made excellent sauce on the potatoes they managed to dig out.
Cooked in tin cans the food was enough to make them thank their heavenly father that he had
saved them from the hand of the enemy.
Probably because the refugees had very little, and what they possessed they had begged
for, the Hierschauers nick-named the Tschongraw group ‘‘Daut Kjrimsc/te Tsigjonerpak” (Die
Krimmer Zegeuner, or the Crimean Gypsies). In Hierschau the local population was itself
struggling for existence, so there was little surplus food, fuel or other provisions for the
“Gypsies.”
The Soviets had not been able to complete the evacuation in the Hierschau- Waldheim
region, but had been more successful in other areas of the Molotschna. Ohrloff, Tiege,
Blumenort and Rosenort were found virtually abandoned. In Tiege there remained only one man
and a few Russian families. Even food had been left standing in some of the houses. The
“Crimean Gypsies” decided to move to Tiege. A wagon was loaded with all their worldly
possessions, their meagre supplies of bedding, pots and tin cans, burned wheat and potatoes. The
Tschograwers had amived in Hierschau on October 6, then moved into their more expanded new
home October 26, 1941 . They stayed in Tiege for almost two years.
But even the home in Tiege was only a temporary stop. The Russian Army was now
pushing back the Gemian forces, so eventually the front came closer and closer to the
Molotschna. On September 12, 1943 everyone was advised to flee westward. Their possessions
again loaded onto wagons, the “Crimean Gypsies” joined the long stream of refugees of the
“Great Trek.” Eventually, after tremendous hardships, they reached the Warthegau region of
Poland in February 1944, then in January 1945, fled even further west, many of the
Tschongawers reaching the zones of Allied occupation.
A substantial number of Tschongrawers now live in Canada, and at one time fifteen were
members of the Portage Avenue Mennonite Brethren Church in Winnipeg.
103
104
MENNONITE
ALTERNATE
105
MENNONITE ALTERNATE SERVICE IN CRIMEA
In the Mennonite negotiations with the Russian government regarding service to be
offered instead of direct military involvement after the humbling defeat of the Crimean War, a
number of avenues of alternate services were discussed. Various types of work in the forest
regions was one option (Forsteidienst). Medical services (Sanitaetsdienst) was another way in
which Mennonites could participate, especially in times of war.
The Forsteidienst began in 1880, with 1,000 Mennonite men being drafted. In short order
there were eight forestry camps in southern Ukraine, most of them fairly close to the Mennonite
colonies. It is not specifically mentioned in most of the literature, but there are pictures of
Mennonite men participating in forestry work and road construction projects in Crimea. New
roads were built in the mountainous regions of the south, and existing roads were widened.
There does not seem to be a record of nor pictures of Mennonite men actually planting trees in
Crimea. There is no specific record of a forestry camp in Crimea, although the men working in
southern parts of Crimea must have had some facilities for sleeping
Part of the Forsteidienst was combating the phylloroxea infestation in the vineyards of
southern Crimea. It is not certain when this aspect of the work began, but it seems to have been
in operation by 1886. Peter C Heidebrecht was drafted as a Phylloroxea Commando in that year.
The little aphid like insect was actually introduced to a number of areas in southern Russia and
Crimea, but the Mennonite contribution to combat this destructive infestation was restricted to
Crimea.
The men of the phylloroxea unit lived in tents which were rather primitive, since the
work required frequent moving around to the different areas. Since the men had no training
for the work they were sent to Odessa, where infestation by this insect was also found. Here
they were taught about this insect, learned how to spray the plants, and the dissection of the roots
so that they could be examined under magnification. Severely infected plants, particularly their
roots, were then dug up and destroyed. The men of the unit worked only six months in the
summer, presumably because that was the most effective time of the year to combat the
infestation.
There was no obvious battlefront contribution by the Sanitaetsdienst, even in time of war.
There were, however, a considerable number of nurses, male and female, who worked at
hospitals in Simferopol. There are pictures of groups of nurses taken in 1915 in Simferopol,
during World War I. It is presumed that the wounded from the battlefront were transferred there
for further extended care.
As well, a number of other men were drafted directly into the Sanitaetsdienst. Abram
.lakob Klassen, businesman and minister, was drafted at the outbreak of World War I. He first
serv'ed in Simferopol, then in a sanitorium in Szaki, a spa in Crimea. Johann Johann Wiebe,
teacher and minister, was drafted into the All-Russian branch of the Semstwo Sanitaetsdienst,
also at the onset of World War I. He served for three years. Abraham Heinrich Unruh, teacher
and minister, served as a medical orderly from 1915-1918, before he moved to Crimea to teach
at the Karassan Zentralschule.
106
Mennonite Alternate Serviee in Crimea
Part of the Forsteidienst in Crimea
consisted of actual forestry work
and working on the roads, especially
in the southern mountainous regions
Forestry workers in Crimea
The home of the forester
Road construction in Crimea
Road construction in Crimea
Mil
. ‘T* ^
, v 'v
>r^'r
•('I
'Z , V V-: ■ ^
M,
*• .■‘.^
■*
p-j
f*’
y[ »•
■ i;;
'v ■* -
RP At.
e ■•r
ti ’’
‘■t t
V -■ ■ r ,
1
i,
^ ' 1
; ■' t# '
^ '• ' 't W®
' 1
1 J
i.
, *
"■':
T
w ^
V
y-
, Vf
L
Mennonite men on road construction during World War I
108
Phylloxera team heading out with shovels and pick-axes
109
Medical Corps in Simferopol 1915. Front row 1 to r, Anna Wiens,
Anna Dyck, the next nurse Helena Kroeker, then Abram Friesen
no
THE
YALTA
CONFERENCE
111
THE YALTA CONFERENCE
FEBRUARY 4-11, 1945
The Yalta Conference was the second war-time meeting of the heads of government of the
United States, represented by president Franklin D. Roosevelt, Great Britain, represented by Prime
Minister Winston Churchill, and the Soviet Union represented by the General Secretary Joseph
Stalin. It was held in the Livadia Palace, near Yalta in Crimea.
The conference started off with lies. Stalin wanted the conference to be in Crimea, ostensibly
because his doctors had told him that he should not travel too far. The real reason was that the
Soviets wanted to “bug” the rooms of the other participants.
The principal intention of the conference was to discuss the re-establishment of the nations
of war-tom Europe after the close of hostilities. Yalta was the second of the wartime conferences,
the first having been the Tehran Conference of November 28 - December 1 in 1943; it was later
followed by the Potsdam Conference of July 17- August 2, 1945. Besides the main agenda, each
leader also had a number of pet projects and operated on a number of suppositions. Roosevelt
foolishly felt that he could get Stalin to do almost anything he wanted. He asked for Soviet support
in the American Pacific War against Japan and wanted the Soviets to join the United Nations.
Churchill very much wanted free elections and democratic governments in Cental and Eastern
Europe. Stalin made all kinds of promises to allow the development of democratic governments
in Eastern Europe, but never allowed any country any freedom, and eventually enslaved most of
central and all of eastern Europe for over forty years. The “ Iron Curtain” did not come down until
the Soviet Union disintegrated in 1989.
Key points discussed were:
1 . Demand for unconditional surrender of Nazi Gemiany
2. Germany would undergo demilitarization and denazification
3. Nazi war criminals were to be hunted down and brought to justice.
4. At the conclusion of the war, Gennany and Berlin were to be divided into zones. After some
adjustment, the American, French, British and Russian zones were designated, both in
Germany as a whole, and in Berlin (see maps)
5. German reparations, partly in the form of forced labour
6. Polish borders shifted westward. Some eastern sections of Poland were simply annexed by
Russia, while western territory was taken from Germany and incorporated into Poland.
Churchill alone pushed for free elections in Poland
7. Citizens fleeing from the Soviet Union and Y ugoslavia were to be handed back to their respective
countries regardless of their consent. It took several years until the Americans and British
discovered that this was actually a form of enslavement of people who had desperately
wanted to escape the brutality of Stalin’s holocaust. Many Mennonites were caught in this
net and were sent to the far north or Siberia, only to die slow lingering deaths
8. It was agreed that democracies would be established in all liberated European and former Axis
satellite countries. Order would be restored, and there would be free elections It soon
became apparent that none of this would happen in any territory occupied by Stalin’s forces.
112
Big Three at the Yalta Conference - Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin
113
Livadia Palace at Yalta
Yalta Conference meeting table in Livadia Palace
Yalta Conference meeting table in Livadia Palace
British, American and Soviet flags
KuiKHl^
|wp|nB|
<c^S3S^in7 - '^H
114
Alupka Palace, used to house some of the guests who
participated in the Yalta Conference
Alupka Palace, or Vorontsov Palace, built 1828-1848 for use as the summer residence
of Mikhail Vorontsov. Built in the Englsh Tudor style
One of six Medici lions decorating the
grounds of Alupka Palace
One of the six Medici Lions at Alupka Palace was
sleeping. Stalin remarked that this possibly
represented the sleeping British Empire
115
DENMARK
NORTH SEA
BALTIC SEA
NETHER¬
LANDS
HAMBURG#
• BREMEN
BRITISH
ZONE
SOVIET
a
POLAND
BERLIN
ZONE
FRENCH
AMERICAN
CZECHOSLOVAKIA
FRANCE
ZONE
ZONE
MUNICH#
POST-WAR
^ GERMANY
ACCORDING
TO YALTA
AGREEMENT
AUSTRIA
116
117
BERLIN ESCAPE
JANUARY 30 - EEBRUARY 1, 1947
Yalta is a beautiful Crimean resort city on the shore of the Black Sea. Here the
major leaders of the Allies, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin,
met on February 4-11,1 945, to decide the fate of Europe after the demanded “unconditional
surrender” of Nazi Gemiany would go in to effect. A few words and signatures affected the
lives of millions of people, condemning many to endless suffering or death. The Elbe River
was designated as one of the dividing lines between East and West. There were to be
American, British, French and Russian zones of occupation. Berlin itself, while well within
the Russian zone, would also be divided into similar zones. The principle of repatriation
of citizens was accepted. The assumption was that of course all displaced people would
want to return to their country of origin. It did not seem to enter the thinking of the Western
Allies that there might be thousands, likely millions of refugees who would rather escape
from their oppressive “homes.”
When the war ended it finally dawned on some of the occupying forces that the
relationship between the Soviets and many of the displaced refugees was anything but
cordial! The Russians were, of course, sending everyone from within their own zone back
to their homes or into exile. They were also swooping through the western zones and
repatriating citizens, usually definitely against their will, and often by force. The American
military then began putting into force the actual stipulations of the Yalta Conference. This
clearly stated that forced repatriation could only take place for those refugees found in
German military uniforms, those who had deserted the Soviet armed forces after the start
of the war, those who had provided direct aid to the Gemian military, and those who had
committed war crimes. The Soviets would have to provide written proof of these charges
in each individual case.
A continual problem for refugees in the confusion of post-war Europe was that few
knew the actual facts of the Yalta Conference. The newly restated guidelines were not
effectively enforced until early in 1 946, and certainly were not common knowledge among
the refugees. The Soviets, knowing both, tended to ignore them whenever they could get
away with it. Rumour and fear abounded.
While many of the 35,000 Mennonites who had managed to get to central Europe
on the Great Trek were forcibly repatriated, there were still those who had escaped the
Soviet net, even in the Eastern zones.
It is in this context that the “Berlin Escape” occurred.
*
H:
John Kroeker, son of the Russian Mennonite theologian, Jakob Kroeker, had moved
to the United States, and married there. He returned to Germany in 1939 to visit his aging
118
parents, then was unable to leave because of the start of the war. He had lived in Berlin
since 1940, working for the SS in some clerical capacity. In 1944 he visited many of the
recently arrived Mennonite evacuees, likely in the Warthegau area. At the end of the war
he continued his contacts with the Russian Mennonite refugees, and worked hard to register
as many of them as he could. He established a small office in Berlin, called it the “Menno
Centre,” and gave himself the title of “Provisional Representative of the Mennonite Central
Committee.” Through his personal contacts and extensive travel throughout the Soviet zone
Kroeker managed to collect a large number of refugees in the relative safety of the
American zone. He had a card printed with his name and office on it, which seemed to
function as identity card to help the refugees in their travels. Kroeker housed the increasing
number of refugees in a partially destroyed building at Viktoria Luise Platz, but also
obtained help from the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration [UNRRA],
as well as the American and British military officials. He contacted the Mennonite Central
Committee headquarters in North America. Kroeker, however, could not solve the long
tenn problem for the Mennonites, especially arranging for transport to another country.
C. F. Klassen came to Berlin in December of 1945, and promised that the MCC
would do what was possible, particularly in the sending of relief supplies. Robert Kreider
visited in April of 1946 and negotiated with the American military authorities and with
Kroeker. He pointed out that Kroeker could not be officially appointed by the MCC
because of his blemished SS related work record, and his problem with alcohol. Kreider
assumed that the American military was not about to turn the refugees over to the Soviets,
despite the demands for repatriation. He also felt that someone needed to be appointed by
the MCC to work on the only satisfactory long tenn solution, emigration.
In the meantime more and more refugees were collecting in Berlin. A total of 21 1
had been admitted to a UNRRA camp in Zehlendorf in Berlin, but more were arriving at
Viktoria Luise Platz all the time, by June of 1946 another 125.
One day Peter Dyck received a telephone call at the MCC office in Amsterdam. It
was from an American, Lieutenant Colonel W. B. Stinson, Chief of the Displaced Persons
division in Berlin. He had cut the red tape for Peter to get a temporary permit to come to
Berlin to help solve the refugee problem. This would entail looking after the refugees while
they were in Berlin, but more importantly arranging for a country for them to emigrate to,
and transportation to get them there. Peter arrived in Berlin on June 12, 1946, his wife
Elfrieda followed on July 4.
Peter and Elfrieda set about their almost unsurmountable task with enthusiasm.
Elfrieda stayed at the camp, and played a key role in its day to day management. Peter tried
to achieve the long tenn goals, making arrangements for the eventual emigration.
As the number of refugees grew, more and more housing was required. The
American military simply took Peter to an area of Berlin and asked him which houses he
wanted. The first was Ringstrasse 1 07, but eventually a total of 1 2 houses were needed for
the camp. An office was arranged, a central kitchen was set up. Since they had no ovens,
arrangements were made with a local baker to bake bread. His payment, much more useful
than money, was with MCC flour. Obtaining relief supplies from the Amsterdam MCC
warehouse was a problem until a deal was made with the Dutch Red Cross. Their
119
ambulances needed to go to Berlin to pick up patients, but they travelled there empty! So
now they went to Berlin loaded with MCC supplies, then went back to Holland with
patients. Refugee watchmen were arranged - who also kept an eye and an ear open to
anyone who might be lurking on the surrounding streets. If they spoke Plautdietsch they
were undoubtedly “ours.” Elfrieda worked on the menus, to vary them as much as possible
within the scope of the MCC supplies.
There were 300 children in the camp, as well as refugee teachers. A bombed out
school in the area was obtained. The teachers worked out curriculum and lesson plans. All
children from age six to fifteen were in classes every week day. But there were no supplies.
Younger students began by learning to count and memorizing the alphabet, the teachers
illustrated history and geography to the older ones by telling stories of the countries they
had come through. They memorized scripture passages and songs, and did mental
arithmetic.
One of the smallest houses was converted into a hospital, with one room for men,
another for women, one for children and one for infectious diseases. Refugee nurses and
some additional girls volunteered their services. Seriously ill patients were sent to the
regular city hospitals.
While Peter Dyck was not a minister, he was still asked to officiate at funerals, and
even at a wedding. With continued stay at the camp religious life needed to be organized
more officially. There were few ministers among the refugees, since they had been special
targets of Communist suppression. Added to this was the complication of having two major
groups represented - Kirchliche and Mennonite Brethren. A church council was elected
consisting of five ministers, 3 Kirchliche, 2 Mennonite Brethren. After lengthy discussion
it was decided that communion should be celebrated together, but that Peter Dyck should
preside. They could not obtain wine or grape Juice, and did not want to use ersatz coffee,
milk or water, so they settled on something they could easily purchase at the US Army PX
store - Coca Cola!
The group planned a Thanksgiving service, decorating an old gym. Sunday
morning, November 21, 1946 was an exciting time. Children and young people recited
poems, there was special music and a sermon. Even more special was the celebration of
Christmas. The women obtained pemiission to use the bakery from 12 midnight to 4 AM
to bake cookies and peppemuts. Dough was mixed in the camp kitchen, then every night
a different group went for the special privilege of baking. Young adults made gifts for the
children with the very limited tools and materials they had. Large boxes of gifts had also
arrived from a Click family in Pennsylvania. On Christmas Eve the choirs sang, youngsters
recited poems, there was a short drama, the Christmas story was read from Luke chapter 2
and there was a semion. For many of the younger people this was their first Christmas
program ever. Two Americans, Colonel Stinson and Major Thompson, who were standing
at the back of the gym, could not keep their eyes dry.
But the time had come to resettle the refugees. Peter Dyck had left no stone
unturned for all possible negotiations, but there were difficulties at all levels - to get the
refugees out of the Russian zone, to find a country for them to go to, and to find
transportation to get them there. Dyck and Colonel Stinson sent in lists of the refugees to
120
the Russians, pointing out that if they could not individually prove that there were war
criminals, deserters or collaborators they should, according to the Yalta Conference, be
allowed to leave. Not a word from the Soviets.
In December of 1 946, with an ever increasing number of mouths to feed, it was time
for action. C. F. Klassen and Peter Dyck went to the US Army headquarters in Frankfurt.
After a long meeting a three part deal was hammered out. The military would transport the
refugees by train, through the Soviet zone, to any port in Europe that would be designated.
The MCC would find a country that would accept the refugees, and would arrange for ocean
transportation. As soon as the MCC was ready they were to notify Stinson, and “Operation
Mennonite” would begin.
Klassen, Dyck and the MCC office in Akron, Pennsylvania, immediately went into
action. First choice of the refugees was Canada, but Canada refused to accept them without
careful individual scrutiny. The reactions of USA and Mexico were the same. Only poor
Paraguay, having had good experience with previous Mennonite immigrants, accepted the
challenge.
Now to find
an ocean transport.
Ships were hard to
come by, a large
amount of shipping
having been sunk
by submarines
during the war.
Finally, through the
intervention of
Queen Wilhelmina
of the Netherlands,
arrangements were
made with the
Holland-America
Line to charter the Volenclam. The ship was large, with a capacity of several thousand
passengers. The charter fee was $375,000. The MCC would not, even if every Berlin
refugee were aboard, send a ship across the ocean only half full. Dyck and Klassen went
to the Funkkaseme camp operated by UNRRA at Munich and asked the Mennonite refugees
ifthey were willing to go to Paraguay. Suiprisingly there were soon 1 ,000 names on the list
of those prepared to go. This thousand, plus several hundred from Holland and the Berlin
refugees would nicely fill the Volendam. Things were falling into place.
Back in Berlin work started on preparing travel documents. Peter and Elfrieda were
called in to see the American military, and the arrangements were confirmed. The military
would obtain the train, the MCC would have the travel documents completed and have the
people packed, ready to go -- but to keep the plans secret. The following Sunday all the
baggage was inspected just to be sure.
Six days later, on Saturday, Colonel Stinson called with the shattering news, “The
The Ocean Liner Volendam
121
deal is off!” At a subsequent meeting Peter was infonned that General Lucius Clay, a
higher ranking four-star general, had called off the deal. Peter drafted a careful letter to
General Clay, pointing out the events that had led up to the situation, mentioning that in 400
years of Mennonite history there had been key individuals that had determined the fate of
many people. He requested that General Clay now be the person to help the 1 ,200 refugees
trapped in Berlin. Peter hand delivered the letter to General Clay’s office, and waited.
After an hour or two he was invited in. Clay pointed out the risks of an “incident’ ’if the
train rescue were attempted, with the possible loss of lives. Airlift was discussed, but when
all the obstacles were reviewed, was abandoned. Finally the mutually agreed upon decision
was to consult Washington. The answer came back quickly, “You have pennission to move
the Mennonite refugees, who are Russian citizens, through the Soviet zone, provided the
Russians agree.” Was this a “yes” or a “no”? Would the Russians ever agree?
Then Peter and
Elfrieda went back to
the refugees in Berlin
and outlined what had
happened. The meeting
began with prayer, then
Peter discussed the
problem, breaking down
crying. Three hundred
or so refugees had
already boarded the
Volendam before it left
Rotterdam for
Bremerhaven. A train
was carrying 1,000
refugees north from
Munich, and they were
to board the ship at
Bremerhaven. As it stood the Berlin group would obviously not reach Bremerhaven. Peter
was comforted by the very disappointed refugees. Some spoke of God’s leading in their
lives, of the blessed time they had in Berlin, and that they ought not despair.
The next morning Peter took a train to Bremerhaven. The Volendam was already
docked, with the Dutch refugees and MCC personnel on board. Soon the Munich train
arrived and those refugees were added to the passengers. Would the Volendam have to
leave half empty? Should the MCC find other refugees to fill the empty berths? The
captain announced that he was ready to lift anchor. But there was still time - they had 36
hours in port before penalties had to be paid. The people were gathered on the top deck for
a farewell service - without the Berlin group. It was to be a joyous occasion, but the
singing was half-hearted, with many people crying. C. F. Klassen and Peter found it hard
to find appropriate words.
Meanwhile in Berlin Elfrieda had tried to carry on. Sadness overshadowed all
Peter and Elfrieda Dyck, pictures from an MCC brochure
printed in 1 946
122
activities in the camp. At a meeting with Colonel Stinson, Elfrieda was asked that just in
case they should still go, how long would it take the refugees to be ready? “Just give me
one hour!” she replied.
That evening the people asked Elfrieda around supper time if it would be alright to
have a prayer meeting. “That’s a very good idea,”she answered. The refugees earnestly
prayed for a miracle. The Volemkun was to leave the next day, so only a miracle would do!
That night, as Elfrieda was going from house to house she noticed an elderly man, a Mr.
Sawatzky, setting his suitcases out into the corridor. She asked him what he was doing. He
replied that since he had prayed for a miracle he may as well get ready for it to happen.
Word of Sawatzky’s faith spread, so others also began packing.
The next day, Thursday, January 30, Colonel Stinson called early in the morning.
General Clay was going to see Marshal Sokolovsky, his Russian military counterpart, that
day. Stinson suggested that Elfrieda should stay in her apartment near the telephone.
Finally at 3:40 PM a call came from Captain Allen, General Clay’s secretary, asking for
Peter Dyck. Told that he was in Bremerhaven, she hung up. If they could not reach Peter
Dyck there, they would call back.
In Bremerhaven the joyless farewell service had just concluded when about 4 PM
two American Military Police came marching up. “Are you Mr. Dyck?” they asked. They
took him down the gangplank, onto a jeep and to a hotline telephone at their harbor post.
The woman on the telephone asked if the Volendam was still there. “Yes,” Peter replied,
“the Volendam is still here...” “Can you hold it?” she asked, “...your Mennonite people in
Berlin are cleared. They can go along on your ship. Just hold it. Wait for them!” Peter
raced back to the ship with the news. The captain was asked to delay departure until further
notice. Peter announced over the ship intercom so everyone could hear, “God is now going
to do a miracle. The Berlin group is coming!”
Then Peter and a number of others hopped onto a car and raced for Berlin, happy
that the autobahn had no speed limit. They were stopped at the Border crossing at
Helmstedt. “Is one of you Peter Dyck?” enquired the British officer. “I have a message for
you,” he continued, “The train is gone.” Nothing more. Not sure of exactly what was
meant they raced on.
In Berlin Elfrieda had waited. Since nothing seemed to be happening, and it was
almost 6 PM, she ran wami water for a bath. The telephone rang. It was Colonel Stinson’s
secretary. “You are to report to headquarters immediately!” When she got to the office
over the icy streets she was ushered in. Ten or twelve officers were already in the room.
Stinson said, “Mrs. Dyck, you probably won’t even want to sit down before I tell you what
it’s all about. The Mennonites are leaving Berlin tonight. You asked for one hour to get
your people ready; I’ll give you one and a half” He continued, “At 8:00 PM tonight you
will have all your people with their baggage standing outside their houses. Army trucks will
pick them up and take them to the railroad station Lichterfelde West. Please have men
organized into work groups to help with the loading and unloading of the baggage... and
please tell your people to be quiet: if possible no talking in the streets.”
Stinson then announced to the men in the room, “This is Operation Mennonite, and
two things are of utmost importance: speed and a low profile.” Lichterfelde West railroad
123
station was to be cordoned off, twelve ten-ton trucks were to report to Ringstrasse 107 not
later than 8:00 PM. Two days rations were to be made available for 1,115 passengers.
Large cans were to be supplied so that each train car had an “emergency” toilet. As Elfrieda
was leaving the office C. F. Klassen telephoned. He informed her that Peter was on his way
to Berlin.
Elfrieda sped to the camp; she had to notify 1,115 people in a hurry. At the first
house everything was dark - electricity had been turned off in that sector of the city to
conserve energy. In the darkness she informed the refugees of the good news. God had
answered their prayers! Now they had to abandon their half eaten suppers and pack in
darkness, to be ready with their suitcases, out on the street, by 8 PM. All the houses and the
sick bay were notified, and work gangs were organized. The group was ready when the
trucks and two ambulances arrived. One ambulance was sent to a city hospital to pick up
a Mrs. Janzen, who was on the maternity ward, in labour. Perhaps the appearance of the
soldiers frightened her so much that the labour pains stopped. She delivered a week later.
A technical problem delayed departure. The trucks were too big. They could not
tum around at the railroad station, so smaller ones were sent for. Then one of them
developed a flat tire, and blocked the way to the station. Robert Kreider was at the station,
fitting batteries into forty flashlights, to be distributed to the forty boxcars. He telephoned
the border with the message for Peter Dyck, that the train was leaving. Stinson and Elfrieda
went back to the camp to make sure that nobody was left. Every house was empty. They
arrived back at the station; all the people were on board. Departure was set for 1 2 midnight.
Having received the message of the train departure at Helmstedt, Peter had
continued on to Berlin. When he arrived at Ringstrasse 107 it was empty. He and his
companions woke up the German housekeeper at the office and asked her to cook them a
fast meal. They were going to head back to Bremerhaven, hopefully beating the train to its
destination. Suddenly the telephone rang. It was Robert Kreider. “We’re at the
Lichterfelde West railroad station. If you hurry you’ll make the train.” he said. Rushing
past the astonished house keeper, who had plates full of food in her hands, they headed for
the station. Peter greeted Colonel Stinson and jumped onto the train.
Large loaves of bread were stacked inside the boxcars. There were bails of straw
and cans of water. Stove pipes stuck through the partially open doors. Just behind the
locomotive was the only passenger car, with the sick people and Elfrieda on it. Moments
after Peter boarded there was a short whistle, a jerk, and they were off! It was 2 AM,
Friday, January 31.
Peter Reimer, a 17 year old boy at the time, remembers that evening. “The last
evening we were eating supper. Suddenly, bang, it came. You can go! It didn’t take long.
The military trucks came by and we were loaded on, and away we went to the train station.
We were loaded onto train boxcars. An American soldier was standing at the door of each
car. The train left late in the evening.”
The train stopped; it was bright sunshine outside. Peter jumped out of the train and
landed knee-deep in snow. He inquired of the engineer where they were. “Helmstedt,” he
answered. Peter asked “...how far are we from the border?” The engineer replied, “Two
metres... if I go two more metres my cow catcher will be in the British zone.” Peter then
124
wondered out loud if it would not be possible to go ahead just a little further. He received
a long lecture about the meaning of red and green lights, and that there was the additional
safety of a little arm that gave signals. Peter suddenly thought that even engineers might
be hungry, and tossed him a few loaves of bread. He still did not move the train, but was
much more friendly.
Up ahead on other tracks the Dycks could see men wearing heavy coats and broad
lapels checking the trains, car by car. What would these Soviet inspectors say when they
reached the Mennonite refugees?
Then there was a click. The ann came down, and the light turned green! The
engineer nodded and reached for the throttle. A slight jerk, and the train moved ahead.
Peter jumped onto the train, and it moved ahead perhaps half a mile, then stopped. They
were now in the British zone. Peter jumped off the train again and ran from boxcar to
boxcar. “We are out!” he shouted forty times. The entire train started singing ‘'"Nun danket
idle Gott" [Now Thank We All Our God].
By 2:30 AM the next morning the train pulled alongside the Volendam in
Bremerhaven. It was decided to let the passengers and the ship crew sleep until morning.
They boarded early on Saturday, February 1 . This time it was truly a happy event. Each
person received a hot steaming mug of cocoa, and was escorted to the appropriate berth.
The Munich and Holland groups were eager to meet their relatives and friends. In all, of
the 1,115 people who escaped from Berlin, 928 boarded the Volendam for Paraguay, the
others remaining in West Germany. At 4 PM on February 1 the Volendam lifted anchor and
sailed out of Bremerhaven, heading for Buenos Aires. On board were 2,203 refugees,
accompanied by Peter and Elfrieda Dyck.
Siegfried Janzen stayed in Berlin to clean up after the hurried departure. MCC food
supplies were disposed of Houses were de-requisitioned, and airangements were made for
any late stragglers who might show up.
Peter Dyck sent a letter of thanks to General Lucius D. Clay, and received this reply,
“Your letter of 9 July made me very happy, not because I was able in a small way to help
the Mennonite refugees to leave Berlin, but to know they have found a home. They are fine
people and deserve the opportunity to live as free men.”
*
*
*
To Peter and Elfrieda Dyck, and to the 1,115 Mennonite refugees, it appeared that
God had directly intervened, and had done a miracle. The Red Sea had been parted and
crossed. Exactly how God accomplished this miracle is not certain. Others feel that there
is a logical explanation of the anatomy of this miracle. The best explanation is that God did
a miracle, and used ordinary human beings to do it!
125
126
INDEX
Villages, estates or people with bold numbers indicate that this is the prime description of that
item or person
All map designations are not listed individually, for example with a map of the Molotschna, only
those locations specifically mentioned in the text will be listed, not all of the 57 villages
A
Adshambet 38, 39
Agricultural Union 84
Aibar, postal station 40
Akhtiar 22
Ak Mechet 18
Akron 121
Akula (Akulla) 56, 60
Alatsch (Alach) 56
Alatsch (Alach) (neighboring estate) 56-57, 99
Albert, Prince 3 1
Alexanderkrone 81
Alexandria 31
Alexandrovsk (see Zaporozhye)
Alibai (Ali-Bai) 57
Allen, Captain 123
Alt-Berdyansk 82
Altona 40, 88
Alupka 9, 68
Alupka Palace 1 15
Alushta 9, 58, 68
Amsterdam 119
Anatolia (Western) 12, 25
Andreyevka 56, 57
Annovka (Annenfeld) 39, 58, 65, 72, 95, 96
Apanlee 57, 59, 62
Aratschick 39
Archangel 45, 83, 89, 99
Archive, Central State of Crimea 20
Argentina 80
Aristotle 31
Annenschule (Spat) 45
Annjanski 41
Artillery Bay 24
Asia 31
127
Azov, Sea of 7, 8,9, 45,59, 62
B
Baedeker, Friederich Dr 84
Baesler 57
Baesler, Heinrich 57
Bakhchisaray 8, 9, 15, 17
Balabino 101
Balaclava (town) 33
Balaclava, Battle of 25, 33, 34
Balkans 25
Baltic Sea 12, 25
Baptist Seminary 89
Baragon 38, 39, 48
Bartel, H C 72
Bartel, Maria 81
Barwenkowo 74, 77, 82, 86, 87
Baschlitscha (Buslitscha) 39, 56, 61, 72
Basel 84, 87
Bay-on-lar 57, 66
Beir, Aganetha 96
Beir (Beyer), Johann 96
Bek Bulatschi 39, 61
Bekbuslatschi (Bek Bulatschi) 39
Belarussia 14
Berdyansk 8
Berg, Anna 97
Berg, Peter (Elder) 97
children; Peter, Andreas
Bergmann, K 74
Bergthal 95
Berislav 8
Berlin 60, 83, 112, 116, 117, 118, 121
Berlin Escape 118-125
Bescharan 57
Bethania (hospital) 85
Bethel College 87
Bible 31
Biejuk-Onlar Station 42
Big Three 1 13
Bijuk Station 9, 46, 101
Black Death 14
Black Sea 7, 8,9, 12, 13, 14, 20, 22,23,25,68, 118
128
Black Sea Fleet 22, 23, 25
Blumenfeld 46
Bolshevik, Communist, Soviet (Reds) 13, 60, 61, 62, 71, 72, 77, 85, 86, 88, 99, 100, 101, 120
Borongar 39
Boschmann, Abram 53
Bosporus 23
Bosporan kingdom 12
Braun, Heinrich .1 46, 77
Braun, Mr 44
Brazil 77, 81, 84
Bremerhaven 122, 123, 124, 124, 125
Britain (Great) (England) (British) 12, 14, 22, 25, 26, 31, 33, 34, 42, 112, 114, 115, 118, 119,
123, 124, 125
British Columbia (BC) 82
Brooklyn, City of (ship) 95, 96
Brotbrechergemeinde 46
Bruderfeld 39, 95, 96
Bruderfeld Church, Parker 96
Bruderfeld Church, Saskatchewan 96
Buenos Aires 125
Bulgars 12
Burnak 39
Bum ash 39
Burulcha (Burultscha) 57
Burulcha River 57
Buruntcha 57-58
Busav (Busau?) 39, 39-40, 41, 60, 88
Busav-Aktachi (Ettingerbrunn) 40, 71,81
Busav-Montenai ( Montonaj) 40
Buslitscha 39, 40
Byzantine Empire 12, 22
C
Caffia (Feodosiya) 14
California 72
Cambridge 3 1
Canada 13, 30, 41, 46, 60, 77, 78, 80, 82, 83, 85, 87, 89, 99, 121
Cathederal, St Alexander Nevsky 19, 20
Cathedral, St Paul’s 32
Cathedral, St Vladimir 24
Catherine II (Czarina) 18, 20, 22
Caucasus 12, 25, 45, 80, 99
Chaco 80
129
Chekhov, Anton 1 4
Chersonesos 12, 22
Chimtzov Mr 84
Cholera 30
Chonar Bridge 40
Chortitza 7, 8, 38, 61, 68, 86, 95
Christmas 120
Churches 71-72
Churchill, Winston, Prime Minister, 13, 112, 113, 118
Civil War, Russia 13, 19, 40, 56, 57, 81, 83, 85, 99
Clay, General Lucius 122, 123, 125
Columbia, Villa, 31
Constantinople 23, 25, 31
Comies, J 63
Comies, Johann 14, 18, 22, 46, 56, 62
Comies, Johann J 58
Comies, Johann Peter 56
Comies (nee Martens) Maria 57
Comies, Peter Heinrich 56
Crimea 1-130
Crimean Monument 32
Crimean School Board 74
Czar 62
D
Dakota North/South 39, 96
Danilovka 40, 84
Denikin, Anton General 99
Derbyshire 3 1
Dick, Anna 59
Dick, David 62
Dick, David Jakob 57, 59, 62, 66, 99
Dick, Franz 62
Dick, (nee Schmidt), Katharina 62
Dick, Peter 57
Dick, Peter Jakob 59
Diumien (Djunneng) (Schottenruh) 40, 41, 42, 43, 71
Dniepr, River 7, 8, 18, 101
Dschav-Boryu (Dzchaga-Shekh-Eli) 41
Dschav-Boryu (estate) 58, 61
Dschyaga Baschi 40, 61
Dshangoj, Station 41
Dueck, Johann 43
130
Dueck, Justina 88
Dueck (nee Driediger), Katharina 43
Duerksen (nee Komelsen) Anna 43
Duerksen, David Gerhard Elder 6, 45, 72, 74, 80, 84, 90
Duerksen, Frank Dr 80
Duerksen, Jakob 43
Duerksen, Johann 80
Duerksen Johann (Hans) 21, 43
Duerksen (nee Heinriehs) Kaethe 43
Duerksen, Kaethe 80
Duerksen (Durksen), Martin 6, 80, 90
Duma 61, 86
Duteh, Netherlands, Holland 45, 119, 120, 121, 122, 125
Duvanka 30
Dyck, Anna 1 1 0
Dyck, Elfrieda 119-125
Dyck, Isaak 80
Dyck, Jakob 60
Dyck, Jakob 60
Dyck, Johann 60
Dyck, Katharina 60
Dyck, Maria 76
Dyck, Maria 84
Dyck (nee Pankratz) Maria
Dyck, Peter 119-125
Dyck. Peter Isaak Dr 80-81
Dyck (nee Reimer) Sara 60
Dzchaya-Shekh-Eli 63
Dzhangrav 56, 58
Dzhankoy 9, 15, 58, 59
Dzhankoy-Kerch Railway 9, 15, 45
Dzhav-Boryu 59
E
Ebenfeld (Kurt-Itchiki) 9, 41, 56, 83, 99
Ebenfeld , Samara 82
Ediger, Alexander 60
Ediger, Franz 74
Ediger, Heinrich S 40, 46, 47
Ediger, Mr 68
Ediger, Peter 39
Egypt 3 1
Ekaterinoslav City 85
131
Ekaterinoslav Province 85
Elbe River 1 18
Embly Park 32
Engbrecht, Margaret 96
Engbrecht, Peter 96
daughter Anna
England, Church of 3 1
Enns, David 74
Enns, Komelius 72
Epp, Dimitri 57
Epp, Johann 57
Epp, Komelius 57, 66
Epp, Komelius (Jr) 57
Epp, Nicholas 57
Erlger Mr 74
Esau (nee Martens), Agnes 59
Esau, Agnes A 82
Esau, Dietrich Dietrich 59
Esau (nee Janzen), Elisabeth 47
Esau, Heinrich 47
Ettingerbrunn 40, 44, 71
Ettingerbrunn (Busav) Mennonite Church 71, 81
Euclid 31
Eupatoria 14, 21, 25, 60, 84
Europe 14,31, 112, 118, 121
Evangelical Mennonite Brethren Church 72, 85
F
Falantush 41
Fast, Johann 57
Fast, Maria Wiens 81
Fast, Mr 42
Fast, Peter A 57
Fast, Susanna 82
Feodosiya 8, 9, 14, 16, 59, 85
Feodosiya Castle 16, 85
Femheim 41, 57
Femheim 80
Fleet, Russian Black Sea 13
Florence, Italy 31
Forsteidienst (Forestry Service) 30, 82, 106-108
France (French) 12, 14, 22,25,26,29,31,33, 112, 118
Frankfurt 121
132
Franzfeld 41
Franzfeld, Molotschna 41
Franztal 82
Friedensdorf 101
Friedensstimme, Die 77, 83, 84
Friedrichsen, Karl 74
Friedrichsen, P, Elder 40, 71, 81
Friesen, Abraham Elder 71, 81, 85
Friesen, Abram 1 10
Friesen, Johann 72
Friesen, Martin Jakob 81
Friesen, Paul 82
Friesen, Peter Martin 6, 23, 81-82, 90
Frizen Party 23
Froese (Barwenkowo) 82
Fuerstenwerder 101
Funkkaserne 121
G
General Kornilov, Cruiser 23
Genoa 12, 14
German (Germany) 12, 13, 19, 23, 31, 38, 39, 40, 44, 57, 68, 72, 74, 80, 81, 84, 87, 89, 99, 101
112, 116, 118, 124, 125
German Baptist Seminary 77
Glick 120
Gnadenfeld, 21, 40, 44, 45, 82, 85
Gnadenheim 101
Gnadental 84
Goertz, H 6
Goerz, Abram Elder 82
Goerz, Agnes 82
Golden Florde 12
Goossen (nee Reimer) Anna 60
Goossen, David 61, 86
Goossen, Jakob 60
Goths 12, 18
Greece (Greek) 12, 14, 18,22
Gulyaipole 85
Gursuf 68
Gypsies, The Crimean 101-104
H
Halbstadt 42, 45, 68, 74, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 87, 88
133
Hamburg 77, 81, 84, 89, 95
Hamilton 84
Hammonia (ship) 95
Hampshire 31
Harder, David E 72
Harder, Elisabeth 97
Harder, Jakob, Minister 42
Harder, Johann 97
children: Johanna, Elisabeth, Abraham, Isbrand, Heinrich, David
Harley Street, London 31
Heidebrecht, Peter C 106
Heidelberg, University of 87
Heinrichs, Katharina 80
Helmstedt 123, 124
Herbert, Sydney 3 1
Herder (ship) 95
Hero City 23
Hierschau39, 95,96, 101
Hildebrand, Abram 101
Hochfeld41, 44
Hofer, D M 72
Hoffnungsberg 58
Holland (see Dutch)
Holland-America Line 121
Hospital, Dr Muehlenthal 18
Hospital, Dr S Levin 18
Huebert, Aganetha 46
Huebert, Maria 85
Huebert, Nicolai 101
Huns 12
I
Igrilik 58
India 25, 87, 89
Inkerman, Battle of 25
Iron Curtain 1 12
Isaak, Gerhard 46
Isaak Estate 58
Isaak, Peter 58, 68
Isaiev, Borys 20
Italy, 3 1
134
J
Jager, Abraham de 40
Jalatusch 41, 43
Janzen, Abram 43
Janzen, Dietrich 59
Janzen (nee Martens) Helena 58
Janzen J 84
Janzen, J D 74, 82, 90, 99
Janzen, Jakob 19
Janzen, Jakob 57
Janzen, Jakob 58
Janzen, Jakob 101
Janzen, Jakob Estate 58
Janzen, Johann 42
Janzen, Komelius 71
Janzen, Komelius 74
Janzen, Maria 74
Janzen, Mrs 124
Janzen, Peter 39
Janzen, Peter Estate 58-59
Janzen, Peter P 58, 59
Janzen, Sara 43
Janzen, Siegfried 125
Japan 23, 112
Jeretnaja 83
Jews 20, 23
Joffe, Adolph 20
Johannesfeld 46
Johannesmh 47
K
Kaban 41
Kadagai 41, 99
Kadet Party 23
Kansas 39, 72, 87, 88, 95, 96
Kara (Klein Tschakmak) 41
Karaganda 85
Karassan, 8, 9, 39, 40, 41, 42, 44, 46, 48, 49, 57, 58, 60, 61, 62, 65, 74, 80, 82, 85, 87
Karassan Conference 44
Karassan Maedchenschule 42, 74, 76, 82
Karassan Mennonite Church 46,71, 81, 85, 88
Karassan Zentralschule 10, 42, 74, 75, 77, 80, 82, 106
Karakuch 42
135
Karlsruhe 87
Kasantschi 42
Kasany 81
Kastell Mountain 58, 68
Kazakhstan 45, 85, 99, 100
Keneges 59
Kerch 44
Kerch 8
Kerch Peninsula 9
Kerkinitis 14
Keystone-Elgin Watches 19
Khan’s Palace 15
Kharkov 18,20,23,86
Khanate (Crimean) 12, 15
Khazar 14
Khazars 12
Kherson 7, 8
Khrustalny, Cape 24
Kievian Rus 12
Kipchaks 12
Kiptschak 42
Kirchliche 120
Kitai (Kitay) 42, 59
Klassen, Abraham 59
Klassen, Abraham Estate 59
Klassen, Abram 68
Klassen, Abram Jakob 19, 82-83, 106
Klassen, CF 119, 121, 122, 124
Klassen, Gerhard Abraham 62
Klassen, Helena 81
Klassen, Jakob P 82
Klassen, Maria 86
Klassen, Peter 48
Klassen, Peter 60
Klassen, Peter 83
Kleine Gemeinde 39, 58, 72, 88
Klochkova, Yana 20
Kolkhoz 100
Kommerzschule 8 1
Kommission fuer Kirchenangelegenheiten (KfK) 83
Konrad, Hemiann Elder 71
Konrad, Jakob 42
Kornelsen, Jakob 43
136
Korsun 22
Krauel 84
Kreider, Robert 119, 124
Krimmer Mennonite Brethren 39, 58, 72, 88, 95, 96
Krivoy Rog 8
Kroeker, Abraham Jakob 6, 83-84, 91, 99
Kroeker, Helena 1 1 0
Kroeker, Jakob Jakob Elder 83, 84, 91, 1 18
Rroeker, John 118, 119
Krushchev, Nikita 20
Kurman-Kemeltschi Station 9, 40, 41, 42, 45, 59, 61, 65
Kursk 18,23
Kutievka 43
Kutjuki 43
Kutschuk (Kultschuk) 43
L
Landskrone 101
Langemann, Johann 45, 84, 91
Langeniann, Martin 5 1
Lengua Indians 80
Lepp, Aaron Elder 80
Letkemann, Peter Elder 71
Licht am Osten 84
Lichterfelde West 123
Light Brigade 25, 33-34
Livadia Palace 14, 112, 114
Liverpool 95, 96
Loewen, Dietrich 96
children: Friedrich, Marie
Loewen, Helena 95
Loewen, Isaak 96
son Heinrich
Loewen, Jakob 95
children: Heinrich, Komelius, Marie, Franz
Loewen, Jakob 95
children: Jakob, Marie, Helene, Katharina
Loewen, Jakob L 96
Loewen, Justine 96
Loewen, Marie 95
Loewen, Sarah 96
London 31, 32
Lustig Anton D, Estate Owner 39, 40
137
Lustigstal 43
Lutheran 38, 39, 44, 57, 85
M
Makhno, Nestor 13
Makut (Makum) 59
Malakhov, Fortress of 22
Malakoff (Malakov) Hill, 25, 28
Margaret’s St, Church 32
Margenau 80, 84, 88
Marianovka (Dick) 59-60
Mariupol 8
Martens (nee Schroeder), Albertine 58
Martens, Anna 86
Martens Golden Wheat 58
Martens, Heinrich 84
Martens, Heinrich, Elder 40, 71,81
Martens, Heinrich 86
Martens, Jakob Gerhard
Martens, Katharina 86
Martens, Sarah 81
Martens, Wilhelm Johann 58, 59, 86
Martins, Anna, Doctor 21, 60, 67, 84-85, 91
Martins, Anna (wife of Heinrich) 67
Martins, Heinrich W 60, 67
Martins, Jakob 60
Martins, Johann 60
Martins, Peter 60
Martins, Wilhelm Wilhelm 60, 67, 84
Martins, Willie 60
Matthies, Abraham 44
Medici 1 1 5
Mediterranean Sea 25
Melitopol 8, 61, 86, 88, 101
Melitos 14
Memrik 43, 85
Menlerchik 9, 43, 44, 45, 46, 80, 83, 84, 86, 88, 99
Menno Centre 1 1 9
Mennonite 1-130, 118, 119
Mennonite Brethren (Church) 6, 45, 46, 59, 71-72, 77, 80, 82, 83, 84, 86, 87, 89, 120
Mennonite Brethren Bible College 78, 87
Mennonite Brethren, Krimmer 6, 13
Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) 119, 120, 121, 122, 125
138
Mennonite World Conference 84
Mennozentrm 87
Mexico 82, 83, 99, 121
Middle East 25
Minnesota 84
Mithradates IV, King 22
Molotschna 7, 8, 12, 13, 14, 18, 22, 23, 30, 38, 39, 40, 42, 45, 46, 56, 58, 71, 72, 74, 80, 81, 82
83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 95, 100, 101
Molotschna Teachers Association 58
Mongols 12
Montana! 60, 67, 84
Montonaj 40
Morre (More) 43, 56, 61
Moscow 41, 43, 46, 77, 80, 81, 83, 84, 85, 87, 88, 99
Mountain Lake 84
Muensterberg 40
Muni ( Mumij) 38, 44
Munich 121, 122, 125
Muntau 81
N
Naimann 85
Nakhimov, Paul, Admiral 22
Naples, 31
Nazi 87, 112, 118
Netherlands (see Dutch)
Neufeld Abram 57
Neufeld, Gerhard 19, 21
Neufeld, Hermann 21, 42
Neufeld Mill 101
Neufeld, Mr 61
Neufeld, Nicolai (Nicholai) 19, 21
Neu Telentschi (Tellentschi) 60
New Russian University 85
New York 72, 95, 96
Newton
Nicholas II Czar 14
Nightingale, Florence 6, 25, 26, 31-32
Nightingale, William 31
Nikolayev 8
North America 1 19
Novonikolsk 44, 61, 86
Novoselivs’ke 60
139
Nurse 31
O
Odessa 7, 81, 82, 85, 106
Ogus-Tobe 14, 44,57,68
Ohlendorf, Otto 20
Ohrloff56, 74, 82, 87
Ohrloff Zentralschule 86, 87, 88
Olympic Medals 20
Ontario 85
Operation Mennonite 123
Ottoman Empire 12, 25, 26
P
Pacific Ocean 12, 25
Pacific War 1 12
Palatinate 38, 81
Pankratz, Elisabeth 95
Pankratz, Jakob H 95
children; Heinrich, Peter, Johann, Franz, Abraham, Anna, Jakob, Wilhelm, Marie
Pankratz, Katharina (wife of Jakob) 95
Paraguay 40, 41, 43, 45, 46, 47, 61, 77, 80, 87, 99, 121, 125
Paris 22
Paris, Congress of 25
Paris, Treaty of 25, 26
Parker 95, 96
Pasha-Chokmak ( Hochfeld) (Gross-Taschakmak) 42, 44, 71
Pavlograd District 85
Penner, (nee Schroeder), Anna 60
Penner, Anna Estate 60
Penner, Wilhelm 60
Pennsylvania 120, 121
Perekop 9, 18, 43, 57
Perekop Isthmus 9, 12
Perekoper Way 18
Peters, Hermann 46
Philipptal 46
Phylloroxea 106, 109
Phylloroxea Unit 106
Plautdietsch 120
Poland 112
Potsdam Conference 1 12
Professor’s Nook 58, 68
140
Progressive Party 86
Psychiatry 85
Purge, Great 19, 101
R
Raabe, Friedrich, Elder 40, 71
Raduga Publishing House 83, 84
Red Army 13, 19, 23
Red Cross 1 19
Red Sea 125
Regier, Jakob 40
Regier (nee Wall) Maria 40
Reimer, Gerhard J 77, 78, 99
Reimer, Jakob 60
Reimer, Margaretha 85
Reimer, Peter 1 9
Reimer, Peter 124
Rempel, Agatha 2 1
Rempel, Hermann Aron Elder 71, 85
Rempel, Hermann 71, 72
Rempel, Maria 21
Retreat Centre 68-69
Revolution (Russian) 40, 56, 61, 83, 85, 99
Riga 99
Ringstrasse 107, 119, 124
Roman (Romans) 12, 22
Romania 83
Roosevelt, Franklin Delano, President 13, 112, 113, 118
Rosenort 83
Rotterdam 122
Roubaud, Franz 23, 27
Ruddel 85
Rueckenau MB Church 45, 71
Rumania 23
Russia Russians (also Soviet Union) 7, 8, 12, 13, 15, 18, 20, 23, 25, 26, 29, 33, 34, 45, 59,61, 74
77, 81, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 89, 95, 101, 106, 1 12, 114, 118, 121, 122, 123, 125
Russian Imperial Navy 99
Russo-Japanese War 23
S
Sabantschi 44
Sagradovka 7, 8, 74
Salgir River 9, 18, 39, 42, 46, 52, 65, 71
141
Salgirka (Salgir-Kiat) 60
Samara 21, 82
Sandhof 86
Sanitaetsdienst (Medical Orderly Service) 19, 30, 82, 87, 88, 106, 1 10
Sarabus, Station 18, 45, 52
Sarabaschk (Sarabasch) 40, 60, 81
Sardinia 12, 22, 25
Sari-Bash (Sary-Bash)(Ettingerbrunn) 38, 40, 44
Sari-Pasha-Chokmak (Hochfeld) 44
Sarona (Ssarona, Saroni) 44-45, 56, 99
Saskatchewan 72, 85, 96
Sawatzky, Agnes 85
Sawatzky, Jakob J 85
Sawatzky, Mr 123
Sawatzky, Peter Jakob, Doctor 14, 85-86
Sawatzky, Woldemar 85
Schaefer, Mr 21
Scharkov, Sergy 21
Schellenberg, David Elder 71, 80
Schellenberg, Peter 43
Schirin 45, 56, 59, 62
Schmidt, Mrs Peter 11 (Marie Wilhelm Schmidt) 59, 62
Schoenthal (Ischung-Kemeltzky) 45, 72, 80
Schonuk (Sclmuk) 45
Schottenruh (Diurmen) 40, 88
Schroeder, Heinrich Estate 60-61
Schroeder, Heinrich Peter 60
Schroeder, Johann 58
Schroeder, Margaretha P 61, 86
Schroeder (nee Janzen), Margaretha 58, 61
Schroeder, Peter Heinrich 39, 40, 43, 44, 46, 57, 58, 60, 61, 62, 65, 86, 92
Schroeder, Peter H Estate 56, 57, 61
Schroeder, Peter Peter 40, 61 , 86, 92
Schroeder, Peter P Estate 56, 61
Schroeder, Wilhelm Peter 61
Schroeder, Wilhelm P Estate 61-62
Schwestertal 87
Scot 40
Scutari 25, 31
Seminonova, Anna 45
Sergejewka 45
Sevastopol 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 18, 20, 22-24, 25, 27, 28, 30, 61, 82
Sevastopol Evangelical Brotherhood 23
142
Shatylov 62
Shirin 45
Siberia 19, 46, 85,99, 100, 101, 112
Sibulon 83
Silesia (ship) 95
Simferopol 8, 9, 12, 14, 18-21, 30, 43, 45, 57, 60, 62, 81, 82, 83, 86, 88, 95, 96, 106, 110
Simferopol University 19, 21, 81, 84
Simmental
Sinop 22, 25
Sevastopol 82
Skyliir, King 1 8
Smith, Frances 3 1
Sokolovsky, Marshal 123
Solowki 88, 89
South Dakota 72, 95
Southern Bay 24
Sparrau 81
Spat 8, 9, 18, 19, 21, 42, 43, 45-46, 50, 51, 52, 53, 59, 60, 71, 72, 74, 80, 82, 83, 84, 86
Spat Zentralschule 45, 51, 74, 75
Stalin, Joseph 1 3, 99, 1 1 2, 1 1 3, 1 1 5, 1 1 8
Steinthal 89
Strauss, August 71
Stauss, Johann 21
Stinson, WB 119, 120, 121, 123, 124
Stuttgart 84
Sultan Bazar 46, 61
Switzerland 81, 84
Sythians 12, 18, 22
Szaki (spa) 82, 106
T
Tamak 59, 62
Tamak (Dick) 62, 64, 66
Tamak (Schmidt) 59, 62, 64
Taman Peninsula (Russia) 12
Taschlickdais, Station 39
Taschtschenak 60, 61, 81, 86
Tashlider Station 43
Tatars (Crimean) 12, 13, 14, 15, 20, 57, 59, 68, 88
Taurida Mountains 9
Taures 12
Taurida (province, governate) 9, 12, 18, 20
Tehran Conference 1 12
143
Teichrieb, Franz T 19, 101
Telentschi 60, 62
Temir-Bulat (Philipptal) 46, 86, 87
Tennyson, Alfred Lord 25, 33, 34
Terek 80
Termentschi (Termenchi) 62
Thanksgiving 120
Thiessen, Elisabeth Abraham 62
Thiessen families 46
Thiessen, Johann 62
Thiessen, Johann 62
Thiessen, Johann Estate 62
Thiessen, Konstantin 62
Thiessen (nee Schroeder), Marie 62
Thomas’s Hospital, St 31
Thompson 120
Tiege 82
Tjart, Johann 62, 71
Tjart, Mr 42
Toews, Jakob 59
Toews, Johann 57
Toews, Katharina 86
Tokmak 8
Tokmak Estate 62-63
Toksaba 46
Tokultschak (Johannesfeld)(Johannesruh?) 44, 46, 57, 87
Tolstoy, Leo 14, 22
Topalov, estate owner 46
Topalovka 46, 48, 56
Totleben, E 1 General 22
Trek, Great 46, 1 1 8
Tschemigowka 101
Tschetter, J W 72
Tschongraw 8, 9, 13, 42, 46, 77, 89, 100, 101
Tschongraw, Bible School 6, 13, 19, 46, 57, 77-78, 87, 89, 99, 101
Tsushima Straits, Battle of 23
Tuberculosis 83
Tudor 115
Tukulchak (Johannesruh) 47, 72
Turkey (Turkish) 13, 14, 22, 33
Turner County 96
Typhoid 60
144
u
Ufa 19,21
Ukraine 7, 8, 12 , 13, 20, 74, 106
Union of Freedom, Truth and Peace 23
Unitarian 31
United Nations 112, 119
United States of America (USA, America) 13, 30, 39, 46, 59, 72, 77, 84, 88, 95, 96, 99, 112, 114
118, 119, 120, 121, 123, 124
Unrau, Peter D 45, 53
Unruh, Abraham Heinrich 6, 46, 74, 77, 78, 86-87, 89, 92, 99, 106
Unruh, Benjamin Heinrich 6, 46, 87, 92
Unnih, Gerhard 87
Unruh, Heinrich 71
Unruh, Heinrich Benjamin Elder 46, 71, 87-88
Unruh, Johann 95
Unruh, Katharina 95
Unruh (nee Sperling) Katharina 95
Unruh, Komelius B 86, 87, 88
Unruh, Peter 47
Unruh, Tobias 95
Unruh children: Peter, Komelius, Heinrich, Tobias, Maria, Aganetha
Ural (mountains) (region) 89
Uspensky Cave Monastery 1 5
V
Venice 12
Victoria, Queen 31
Victoria Luise Platz 1 19
Vincent de Paul, St 31
Vogt (nee Enns), Elisabeth 43
Vogt, Heinrich 43
Voinski Volost 57
Volendam (ship) 121, 122, 123, 125
Volga River 81
Vorontsov, Mikhail 1 15
Vorontsov Palace 1 15
Voth, Johann 40, 42
W
Waldheim, Molotschna 87,101
Waldheim, Sask 96
Wall, Bernhard 41
Wall, Gerhard J4 1,42
145
Wall, Johann 41
Wall, Komelius 45
Wall, Komelius 60
Wall (nee Harder) Sara 41
Waterloo Plaee, London 32
War, Crimean 6, 12, 13, 14, 18, 22, 23, 25-29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 106
War, World War 1 13, 19, 40, 41, 42, 43, 45, 63, 68, 72, 82, 88, 106, 1 10
War, World War 11 13, 19, 23, 24, 46
Warkentin, Franz 101
Warkentin, Komelius 39, 47
Warkentin, Philipp 46
Warthegau 1 19
Washington 122
Wedel, Heinrich 39
Wellow, East 32
Wemigerode 84
West Pmssia 86
White Arniy 13, 19, 23, 60, 99
White Sea 12,25, 88
Wiebe (nee Unmh), Anna 88
Wiebe, Jakob Elder 71, 87, 96
children: Katherine, Jakob, Johanna
Wiebe, Jakob A 13, 39, 72, 88
Wiebe, J J 83
Wiebe, Johann Johann 88-89, 106
Wiebe, Johann J 88
Wiebe, Juliana 96
Wiebe (Philipp) 63
Wiebe, Philipp Jakob 39, 41, 46, 56, 58, 63, 99
Wiebental (Muni) 44
Wiens, Anna 1 10
Wiens, B B 68
Wiens, C 68
Wiens, F 45
Wiens, Gerhard 89
Wiens, Gerhard 101
Wiens, Hans 46
Wiens (nee Hildebrand), Helena 89
Wiens (nee Wiens) Helena 89
Wiens, Jakob 43
Wiens, Jakob J 77, 78
Wiens, Johann Gerhard 46, 89, 93, 99
146
Wiens, (nee Friesen) Susanna 89
Wiesenfeld 85
Wilhelmina, Queen 121
Willms (neeWohlgemuth) Eva 43
Willms, Komelius 43
Wilmsen, Maria 74, 76
Winkler Bible School 1 3, 78, 87, 89
Winnipeg 84
WitmarsLim 84
Wohldemfuerst 82
Wohlgemuth, Gerhard 45
Wohlgemuth (nee Penner), Lena 45
Wrangel, Pyotr N, General 13, 19, 23, 99, 100
Y
Yalta 8, 9, 14, 20,58, 68, 112, 118
Yalta, Conference of 6,13, 14, 111-117, 118, 121
Yeshna 30
Yevpatoria 9, 14, 40, 41 , 46
Yugoslavia 1 12
Z
Zaporozhye (Alexandrovsk) 7, 8, 46, 86, 101
Zehlendorf 1 1 9
147
148
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Dyck, Peter, and Dyck, Elfrieda, Up From the Rubble, Herald Press, Waterloo, Ontario,
1991, many pages
Durksen, Martin, Die Kriin war unsere Heimat, printed by Christian Press, Winnipeg
Manitoba, 1977, many pages, used as a principle source in many of the articles
Epp, Frank H., Mennonite Exodus, Canadian Mennonite Relief and Immigration
Council, Canada 1962, pp 369, 376-383
Goerz, H, Die mennonitischen Siedlungen der Krim, Mennonite Settlements in Crimea,
Gennan version: Echo-Verlag, 1957
English Version: Echo Historical Series 1992
many pages
Heidebrecht, Peter C, in Mennonite Martyrs by Aaron Toews, Kindred Press, Winnipeg, 1990
p 100
Hiebert, Clarence, Compiler and editor. Brothers in Deed to Brothers in Need, Faith and
Life Press, Newton Kansas, 1974, many pages
Huebert, Helmut T, Hierschau, Springfield Publishers, Winnipeg, Manitoba, 1986, pp 84, 85,
104, 178,265
Klippenstein, Lawrence and Dick, Jacob, Mennonite Alternative Service in Russia, Pandora
Press and Herald Press, many pages
Lohrenz, Gerhard, Heritage Remembered, CMBC Publications, Winnipeg, Manitoba, 1974,
many pages
Mennonite Encyclopedia, many pages
Quiring, Walter and Bartel, Helen, Als Ihre Zeit Erfuellt War, Modern Press, Saskatoon,
Saskatchewan, 1963, many pages
Regehr, T. D., Anatomy of a Mennonite Miracle: The Berlin Rescue of 30-31 January, 1947,.
Journal of Mennonite Studies, Volume 9: 1991, pp 1 1-33. The question of what sources
to believe becomes an issue. One would have to be incredibly naive to assume that all
military documentation is accurate
Reimer, Peter, Winnipeg, Canada, Personal Interview, August, 1999
Smucker, Barbara, HenryTs Red Sea, Herald Press, Scottdale, USA, and Kitchener, Canada,
1955, pp 1-108
149
Live Music
Archive
Librivox
Free Audio
Metropolitan Museum
Cleveland
Museum of Art
Internet
Arcade
Console Living Room
Open Library
American
Libraries
TV News
Understanding
9/11